About SIN & SUFFER
"Some say the past is in the past. That vengeance will hurt both innocent and guilty. I never believed those lies. Once my lust for revenge is sated, I'll say goodbye to hatred. I'll find a new beginning."
She came from a past Arthur "Kill" Killian never forgot. She made him sin and made him suffer. She tugged him from the shadows and showed him he wasn't as dead as he thought. And with her resurrection came betrayal, deceit, and war.
But then they took her. Stole her. Imprisoned her.
Now Kill's carefully laid plans for vengeance are complete. He craves action, retribution-the blood of his enemies. War has begun. War is all they'll know until they've paid their penance. He will get her back-and rewrite their destiny . . .
Excerpt
There hadn’t been a single moment in the past eight years when I’d awoken and wished I could forget.
Every morning had been a struggle to remember.
Every night a battle between needing to know and needing to forget.
I’d tried to trick my mind into remembering, but either I was too stubborn or too afraid, because it never worked. And . . . as the days turned from hell to heaven and Arthur fell back in love with me, I didn’t really mind that a chunk of my life was missing.
I had him back. Larger than life and even more perfect than any recollection could do justice.
I was content with that.
But living in the silver haze of amnesia, with no past or present, came with its own burdens and trials. It meant I couldn’t find my true self, but it also granted unusual freedom. Freedom because I couldn’t find my true self. I had the latitude to be stronger, braver—all because
I had no notion of who I’d been or what I was risking by choosing
certain paths.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like that indulgent laxity . . . that power.
It’d granted me silent strength to chase Arthur even when he seemed unchasable. And it’d helped me find the truth that I’d been missing all these years.
But now, pinned to a table with men gawking at my half-naked form, I wished I could disappear into the void where my mind had vacationed for so long.
I wished I could delete whatever was about to happen.
I struggled against the fingers around my wrists, unable to look up at the men holding me down. My cheek squashed against the table; my toes ached as I dug into the tiled floor, trying to stop myself from sliding and becoming completely helpless.
Rubix stood behind me. The heat of his thighs against my T‑shirt and the roughness of his fingers sent my heart spiraling.
Please, don’t let this happen.
Rubix was many things, but a rapist? Would he stoop that low?
The unequivocal answer reverberated through my head.
Yes.
Especially if such a thing would hurt the one person he hated above all. Arthur would never be able to forgive himself if I was violated so terribly.
It will kill him.
My heart shattered into kaleidoscopic pieces at the thought of destroying Arthur in such a way. Me? I could brave it. I could heal. But him? He’d never be able to look at me again without suffering such awful guilt.
“Why do you hate your son so much?” I whispered, fearing his answer.
Rubix chuckled. “You never guessed?”
Never guessed? “No.” How would I ever guess something so wrong?
“He was supposed to be like me. Instead, he was like her.”
“What?” My forehead furrowed. “Like her . . . your wife?”
“Yes,” he snarled. “So fucking soft. She was always so meek—riddled with indecision and then later with disease. Arthur was supposed to make me proud—but all he did was make me a laughing stock.”
“All because he preferred to use his brain over his fists? Because he chose to go to school instead of smoking crack with the rest of the lowlife prospects?”
Rubix tucked my hair behind my ears. “No, pretty Buttercup, because he chose your family over his own.”
My stomach ruptured. “He didn’t choose us over you. You gave him no choice. Arthur wanted to be good rather than follow morals he didn’t believe in. That doesn’t make him soft. That makes him strong.”
Stronger than you’ll ever be
Excerpted from SIN & SUFFER by Pepper Winters.
Copyright © 2016 by Pepper Winters. Used with permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.
About Pepper Winters
Pepper Winters is a New York Times and USA Todayinternational bestseller. She loves dark romance, star-crossed lovers, as well as the forbidden and taboo. She strives to write a story that makes readers crave what they shouldn't, and delivers complex plots and unforgettable characters that keep readers talking long after the last page is turned.
On a personal note she loves to travel, has an addiction to creme brulee, and is married to an incredible Canadian who puts up with her endless work hours and accompanies her on signings. She's also a firm believer that the impossible can become possible.
That I’m really not that interesting
J Um…not sure…let’s
see. I don’t like tomatoes. That’s
a random fact.
2. Tell
us about your writing process. Do you start with an idea or a
character? Do you know what’s going to happen from the beginning or do
you figure it out as you
write?
I
have a vague plot line and character script but as I get to know the
people I’m writing and the story arc, it normally always changes. It’s
great to see characters take control and guide
me in a different direction.
3.
Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?
Not
particularly spoken piece of advice, but I do remember reading Laini
Taylor’s work and ‘clicking’ with her beautiful writing.
That was the day I found my voice.
4.
Is there one thing you have to have when writing?
Yes, a glass of icy cold Coke Zero and lots of water.
5.
How did you choose the names of your characters?
I let them choose. I might have place holders in for a while until it comes to me, or browse on baby websites until something
clicks.
6.
How has music played a role in your life and in your writing?
Not at all. I have to have complete silence to write. But I love the way some lyrics can tell the soul of my story and list
those in the playlists at the back of my work.
7.
When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?
When I was about six years old and I wrote a story in my school book that was meant to be math homework.
8.
What can you tell us about your couple, that we won't find in the book?
Oh, not sure. What sort of stuff do you want to know? I guess, you won’t find their generic everyday likes and dislikes.
For example, Kill loves coffee black.
9.
Do you have any favorite book boyfriends of your own?
I have too many to count. It wouldn’t be fair to list in case I miss one.
10.
What are five books on your night stand/bookshelf?
Boring ones. I have The Secret, Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad, Poor Dad) Napoleon Hill (Think Rich) and a renovation guide to
large homes.
11.
What’s your favorite quote or scene from your books?
That’s like choosing a favourite child. There are many but I love the scene in the shower with Tess and Q in Monsters in the
Dark.
12.
If your couple’s relationship had a theme song, what would it be?
Um, again, I’m not sure. Their emotional growth encaptures so many theme songs
J
I kinda suck at this, I know.
13.
Tell us about the cover process. Is this what you had in mind?
Yes, completely. I love an artist that can pluck the idea from your head and make it a reality.
14.
If
your book was being made into a movie, who would you include in your
dream cast? I’m going to suck on this question too. I honestly don’t
know. My characters
are unique in my head, so I don’t see them as anyone else. I know if it
was ever made into a movie though, whoever was cast would do a great
job.
15.
Where
do you find inspiration for you writing? Do you use real people/places
as a foundation? Yes and no. I tend to get random plot ideas while
driving or in the
shower. I don’t really use outside influences but let the character
guide me to the next chapter etc.
16.
Do you have any hobbies or activities that you enjoy outside of writing? Yes, buying real estate and travelling.
17.
Would
the 10 year-old version of yourself kick your butt or praise you for
what you've accomplished in life? Praise me. I think I’ve been very
lucky and happy with
my life so far.
