The Lust Garden

With her perfectly tousled blonde hair and pink, pouty lips, Gianna Salvani is the girl everyone loves to hate. She has it all – fame, fortuneand unrivaled beauty. But behind the seductive smile is an insecure girl who still grieves for the father she lost years ago. With a controversial new film in the can, and the release of her debut album looming, Gianna ispoised to take center stage. But when a shocking secret leaves her exposed, her fame will bring her face-to-face with a nightmare she never saw coming. Because lurking in the shadow of her spotlight is an obsessed killer with plans of his own for Gianna.

Ignited by his first conquest, Gianna’s greatest admirer begins a brutal hunt to claim her as the ultimate trophy in a string of look-alike murders. Motivated by envy, he forces himself into her seemingly untainted world and threatens to ruin everything she’s built by revealing a hidden tie that binds them. And if you knew his secret, you’d want to kill her too

 

Kindle / Paperback

Billy Jolie graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Mass Communications. He lives in the Tampa Bay area.

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Read an excerpt

 

Victoria, a nosy news reporter, is grilling Gianna hard during an interview when she asks her personal questions about her family, which sets the superstar off…

 

Caution: Language

 

“I hate to backtrack here, but I’m definitely intrigued with the relationship between you and your mother. Publicly, you’ve been estranged for years… ever since the death of your father. Have you reconciled? Or would you agree that his passing is the single cause for the strife between the two of you?”

 

Gianna stared blankly. She was in shock.

 

Are you kidding me? You’re reading from scribbles on a notepad and asking me questions about my father… Like it’s not an issue, like he was nothing at all to me. Shit! Don’t do this… Keep it together, G. Get up… Walk away and end this charade.

 

“Do you need me to repeat the question?”

 

Gianna gritted her teeth. “You’re way out of fucking line! Do you actually think I’m going discuss the problems I have with my mother with someone like you. And how dare you bring up my father in a shitty, ridiculous interview like this.”

 

Gianna was furious. She felt a huge knot tightening in her stomach. Her father was off-limits. No one had the right to go there. He was never spoken of. His death had been shattering. And he was buried deep in her heart now.

 

Victoria recoiled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to–”

 

“You did!”

 

Gianna quickly texted 9-1-1 to Blair. Seconds later he was at her side with a worried expression coloring his usually jovial face. He recognized her look immediately and knew he had to get her out. Get her away from this woman.

 

He took her cue and said, “It’s that time.”

 

“That’s right. We have that thing, don’t we?” Gianna replied, faking it.

 

“Leaving so soon?” Victoria replied, knowing she’d struck a chord with Gianna. She was squirming. It was almost comical to watch. There was more to the story and she’d be damned if she was going to let her get away unscathed.