Father Figure

Jane Harvey-Berrick & Alana Albertson

 

A heart-breaking tale of love, loss and redemption from two best-selling authors, teaming up for the first time for this epic, ugly cry, standalone forbidden romance.

Forgive me father for I have sinned.

Father Gabriel found me on the street selling my body to the highest bidder. He thinks he saved me, but he’s wrong. I will never be redeemed. But then again, neither will he. 

Father Gabriel is a tortured man. Eighteen years ago, this former Navy SEAL made a mistake that caused the death of his best friend and Teammate. A man who was my father. 

Father Gabriel is fighting for redemption every single day of his life, trying to atone for his sins—saving a life for taking one.

He never knew that his friend left a daughter behind. Now I will make him pay for the life he stole from me. He owes me and I will collect: his body, his soul, his tortured love. 

I will break him. Ruin his life like he ruined mine. 

I choose darkness over light. I choose to do wrong, because it feels so right. And I’m going to do it again.


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EXTRACT 1

After Morning Mass, I sat at the breakfast table watching Blue out of the corner of my eye, trying to figure her out. She was so silent and contained, and then sometimes hissing and spitting like a wild cat. It was rare to see her relax and be herself. There was something dark inside her, something that called to me. Which since I was a priest, was very fucking inconvenient.

Alone in my room, I turned to the one simple thing in my life and knelt beside my bed.

“Lord, I’m struggling. I feel like I’m splitting in two. I’ve been a priest for seven years and it’s been ten years since I answered your call. And in all that time, I’ve never felt this pull to sin and sin again. I’m failing your test, Lord, but I don’t understand why. What more do you want from me? How can I find peace again? Please help me, Lord!”



EXTRACT 2

When he saw me, he hesitated, and I could see that he didn’t know whether to talk to me or not. My cheeks hollowed as I sucked the ice cream cone harder, my eyelids lowered, then held back a smile as he strode over, his eyes darkening like he was affected. Hell, yeah.

“Hello, Father G,” I said with a sly smile. “Or is it Father Oh Em Gee? That’s what those girls over there call you. Did you know that? I bet you did. Do you like all those teenage girls lusting after you? I bet they touch themselves at night thinking about you like I do. I bet they scream your name when they come in their little white panties like I did last night. Do you like encouraging them to sin? Did you hear me come last night screaming your name?”

“Mariana, stop!”

His voice was shocked, hoarse with an edge of desperation, and I smiled up at him, cat-like.

“No, Father G,” I whispered so he had to lean closer to hear me. “I’m not going to stop. I’m going to go on and on and on until you admit what you’ve done, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“What I’ve done? What are you talking about?”

“‘Behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.’ I looked it up, Gabriel.”

Confusion and guilt warred in his expression. I could see the rage and torment in his face. I dipped a finger in my ice cream and traced the shape of a cross over my chest, letting it melt and drip downwards. His eyes tracked the blob of ice cream until I spoke again, my tone intimate.

“I know what you want, Gabriel. You want me, don’t you?”

“No! And we’re not having this conversation. You’re a child and I’m a priest!”

His voice cracked but by now I could read him easily. Two years in juvie will teach you to read expressions, not the words that are spit at you. He was trying so hard to find the SEAL within him, but I needed to bring out the man … and I was winning.

I shook my head slowly.

“I’m all woman. And lying is a sin, Gabriel—so is wrath or is that lust I can see on your face? Maybe both—two sins for the price of one.” I sucked the ice cream into my mouth again, moaning, then licked my lips, and I smiled in triumph as his gaze flickered to my mouth. “Do you want to drag me away and fuck me like an animal? Maybe I’d let you, Gabriel.” His eyes darkened, two pools of deep despair. “I knew you’d like that idea. Do you prefer your women willing, Gabriel, or do you take them anyway?”

He ran his hands over his sweat-soaked hair, still military short, then raised his eyes upwards.

“Dear Lord! Why are you testing me? Why did you send this child-woman to torment me?”

“You’re not Jesus and I’m not Mary Magdalene. You can’t save me.” I leaned closer. “God didn’t send me, Gabriel. It was someone much nearer to you right now. I know who you are and I know what you are.” My voice iced over. “You’re a murderer and you’re going to Hell. Say hi to the Devil for me when you get there.”

Shock twisted his face and his fists tightened at his side. For a moment I thought I’d won and that he was going to hit me in front of all his flock.

“How can … why do you think … a murderer?”

I backtracked quickly, realizing that I’d overplayed my hand.

“SEALs are just government assassins, or are you telling me you never killed anyone? Because I wouldn’t believe you.”

He strode away, a curse falling from his full lips.

“Thou shalt not kill!” I called after him.

I smirked to myself. He was close to breaking, I knew it; I could feel it. He made it so easy. It was fun toying with him, watching him crumble, watching him abandon everything he believed in, watching him piss on his faith.

I sat in the shade, quietly eating my ice cream and watching, always watching.

Score: Father Gabriel – 0: High school Dropout Whore – 1.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw several of the girls on the bench glaring at me. What were their names? Oh yeah, Michelle was there: queen bee, bully.

When she’d finally gotten up the nerve, she sashayed her fat ass over to me, flicking her long mahogany hair for the boys who were watching, then stood with her hands resting on her hips.

“What are you doing here? No one wants you here, freak.”

Wasn’t that the truth.

I smiled at her.

“Just chatting to Gabriel. Deciding whether we’re going be fucking inside or outside. But he’s a pretty outdoorsy guy, so I think outside. Wanna watch?”

Her eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped down. I watched, amused, as her face flushed red and a vein throbbed in her forehead.

“Oh my God! You’re disgusting!”

I gave her a cold smile. “That’s what he said,” I confided. “He likes that about me.”

Her jaw closed with a snap and she took a step closer so I could smell sweat and cheap perfume.

“You’re such a liar and nobody likes you. Father Gabriel would never touch a filthy whore like you.”

I laughed in her outraged face.

“Never heard of Mary Magdalene? We’re what these religious types go for. He wants to save me, Michelle.” I saw the half-belief in her eyes and knew that I’d won. “See you around,” I said, tossing my cone on the grass by her feet. “I have a date to get ready for.”

It really was too easy. And I knew that I’d given her some juicy gossip to share with her minions. That’s the thing about dirt—you throw enough of it and some will stick. And Gabriel was as dirty as they came.



EXTRACT 3

“Why even bother saving me if you’re going to treat me like a leper, and then telling everyone that I’m a whore so I can’t get a clean start?”

“I told you I didn’t do that,” Gabriel clipped out.

“And I told you I’m not buying your brand of bullshit,” I shot back. “Why did you do it, Gabriel? Any of it? Why give me hope then take it away? Why let me live at the Rectory then ignore me? Why say it would be my safe place then plan to send me away? It’s cruel. You’re cruel. It would have been kinder to leave me on the street!”

My voice had risen with every word until I was screaming at him. Suddenly it was all real—the fake emotions had been scorched away and I was confronted with the confusion and disgust and hatred and, God help me, attraction to this hulking man, this priest, this murdering scumbag, this fallen angel.

For a second, he just stared at me, then he held out his hand, the one that had tried to choke me. I hesitated for a moment, then wrapped my fingers around his, feeling his warmth and strength as he pulled me upwards.

We stared at each other across the darkness, so many lies building a barrier —the truth trembling unsaid between us.


Quick Quotes

If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much room.

I was going to make him regret every day of his life, every mistake that he’d ever made. I’d make him forget his vows and force him to sin, sin, sin, until every day of his miserable life was a torment to him.

Tears were a weakness that I couldn’t afford.

The whiskey bottle called to me and I answered willingly.

La Jolla, a place where the residents had million-dollar views and poverty-level hearts.

“Hello, Father G. Or is it Father Oh Em Gee?”

“Lying is a sin, Gabriel—so is wrath or is that lust I can see on your face? Maybe both—two sins for the price of one?”

The man was a machine, a beautiful, sinful body with a dark and twisted mind.

I’d become a complete cliché, infatuated by a gray-eyed god with a mind so dark and scarred, I was quietly amazed he could function at all.

I was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong man who was so, so right for me.


WHAT READERS ARE SAYING 

This was one epic tale and I absolutely loved every word. These two authors came up with something and made it amazing. I loved the character growth that Mariana (Blue) and Gabriel made.  I am simply amazed how I feel right now.

Tyra, Amazon reader

I could not put it down. I gave 5 stars because it takes talent to write that kind of story and make it real and believable. You care about Gabriel and Blue because they are human. Gabriel is trying to make up for a horrible mistake and Blue is fighting to get rid of the pain that she can no longer bear. You don’t read a love story like that everyday.

Kindle customer

Father Figure is a scorchingly devastating journey of hate, revenge, guilt, and hope. Just reading this book left me with singe marks on my heart, but a powerful hope that I just couldn’t shake. While there is nothing easy about this story, it is one that will leave with you with important questions and lift a small burden from your own shoulders. This beauty will ingrain itself into your very soul, and never let you go entirely.

Shadowplay, Amazon reader

WOW! This book was full of heat, turmoil, and secrets. It’s so wrong, but such a great read!  I give this story a 5-star review and highly recommend it if you enjoy stories of taboo love, age difference, angsty, tumultuous characters, or stories ex-Military men, you will love this story. It’s hot kept me on the edge of my seat.

Sassy K, Amazon reader

The story itself was a unique new take on this forbidden scenario and I was pleasantly surprised with it. I loved how the authors managed to inject so much of the hero’s faith into the story without it seeming preachy or over the top. It struck the perfect chord. There were twists and turns in this book that kept you invested and reading more.

The writing was beautifully done, raw and intense. I loved the characters’ separate journeys and this ended exactly the way it was supposed to. I can’t believe I’d never heard of these authors before but I can promise you they’re most definitely on my radar now. This was deep, compelling, romantic, raw, tragic, touching, and just an unforgettable story. I’m wowed.

The Tale Temptress, Amazon reader


Jane Harvey-Berrick & Alana Albertson

We really hope that you enjoy Gabriel and Mariana’s story. It’s some rollercoaster!

Alana’s website

Jane’s website


“If you would like a signed paperback of any of my books, please email me at jane@janeharveyberrick.com for the price. As I’m in the UK, postage is really expensive, and I will ask you to send the money in advance by bank transfer. The cost will be the paperback price on Amazon plus postage. I am always happy to send you a signed bookplate free of charge. Thank you!”