Transparent
© 2015 Erin Noelle
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, is entirely coincidental.
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
Cover Design
by Hang Le
Cover Photography
Furious Fotog
Cover Modeclass="underline" Michael Federico with Model Madness, LLC
Editing
Indie Solutions & Kayla Robichaux
Interior Design and Formatting
Christine Borgford, Perfectly Publishable
Transparent is the conclusion of Blake and Madden's story that began in Translucent (Book One in the Luminous Duet), and should not be read as a standalone. It simply will not make sense. I've provided a short summary for those who need a quick reminder of what happened.
RECAP:
Blake Martin is a mystery.
She enters buildings completely aware of her surroundings. Everything she does, every move she makes is for a purpose. She's quiet, reserved; she likes being unnoticed. She's this way for a reason. Before she was Blake Martin, she was Bryleigh Carter Oliveira. The American Princess. Ish's wife. Ish. The illegitimate son to Italian mob boss Vincent Ricci. Ish pursued Bryleigh (Blake) with fervor. She was young (a high school student at the time), naïve, and enamored by the love and affection Ish showed her, the love and affection that became her worst nightmare.
Ish wasn't who she thought he was. He was controlling, abusive (physical, emotional, sexual), and manipulative. After seeing Ish at his worst (making her have sex with another man in front of him, then brutally murdering the man right in front of her, blaming her for his death; having sex with other women, then killing the women if they got pregnant, torturing and murdering anyone who dared cross him). After years of living in the terrifying lifestyle, Bryleigh had had enough. She killed Ish. But she was smart. After going to the FBI, she was placed in the Witness Protection Program in exchange for her knowledge of his family's operation.
When Blake moved to Los Angeles, she knew no one. Her only family (mother and brother) had been killed by Vincent as retaliation for the murder of his son. She had no friends, being in the WITSEC. She was starting over. Through the help of the U.S. Marshal's office, she's set up with a new appearance, a new home, and a new job at JDT Graphic Designs.
Meeting Madden Decker, CEO of Decker Enterprises, is life changing for both Blake and Madden. The connection is instant, and soon Madden is relentless in his pursuit of Blake. Blake, of course, is incredibly timid during his quest. The last person who pursued her turned out to be a psychopath. And she's continuing to deal with the constant nightmares Ish left her with, causing her to inflict bodily harm to herself. Madden is amazing-alpha, gorgeous, loves his parents. After admitting to herself and Madden there is something between them, they begin a relationship. Soon Madden realizes there's definitely more to Blake than she's presenting. He sees her nightmares, her times where she “checks out,” and he's the only one able to pull her out of it, the physical damage she does to herself. He's determined to help her and be with her, and soon they're madly in love, though neither have had the courage to admit it to the other yet.
Throughout their relationship, Madden and Blake deal with some normal things too. Jealousy from Emerson-a longtime family friend and former lover of Madden's. Emerson is ruthless and definitely not welcoming of Madden and Blake's relationship. Easton, Madden's brother, is a wild card. He's a partner in Decker Enterprises but rarely shows up and gets into trouble with the Russian mob because of his gambling addiction.
Just as things were starting to look to Blake like her life can, in fact, be normal, she gets a text from Madden, letting her know that he will be picking her up after work. Typically she drives to his house on Friday nights so they can spend the weekend together, so this wasn't normal, but she trusts him enough to not question it. As she climbs into the car, she's transported directly into one of her nightmares as she hears someone greet her by her “real” name. She's been abducted. But we are left to question by whom.
TRANSPARENT
NOTE TO READER
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BOOKS BY ERIN NOELLE
For George R. R. Martin ~