Queen of Humbolt Read online

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  Praise for Tagan Shepard

  Other Books by Tagan Shepard

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Author's Note

  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

  Synopsis

  Marisol Soltero’s life is built on big scores and fast women. From her nightclub she rules over the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago with ruthless calculation. Though everyone knows her as the Queen of Humboldt, Marisol lives part of her life in the shadows. When she hears of an impending assassination attempt against the Governor of Illinois, those shadows threaten to ruin everything she’s built.

  Governor Sabrina Sloane has spent her life cleaning up the streets, first as State’s Attorney in Chicago and then as Governor of Illinois. Every criminal to cross her path has ended up behind bars—except one. When that criminal saves her life, she’s forced to shine new light on everything she thought she knew.

  As a mutual enemy forces them together, Marisol and Sloane must work as a team in a fight for their lives. Can they overcome their differences and their growing attraction to find their way to freedom? And can Governor Sloane ever bring herself to trust the Queen of Humboldt?

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  Praise for Tagan Shepard

  And Then There Was Her

  This book really was a joy to read. As soon as I started reading this book I was hooked. I loved the premise. I loved the setting of a winery. There is something so romantic about it, and Shepard writes beautifully so you feel like you can taste the grapes and even feel the soil. I thought all the characters were well done. This was the right book at the right time and it’s going on my 2020 favorite list.

  —goodreads, Lex Kent’s Reviews

  The romance is very delicately written, a well-balanced slow burn with some spectacularly hot moments too! I could have written thousands of words on how much I love this book, the intricacy of the imagery, how much I want to punch Kacey, and how I can relate to the pain and doubt etched in Madison’s soul. Anyone who has ever been made to feel “less than” will be touched by this narrative.

  —NetGalley, Orlando J.

  I adore an age-gap romance, and this slow-burn story is incredibly romantic. There’s something about the writing that is lush and elegant and beautiful, and it really suits the story that is set in a gorgeous vineyard. I highly recommend this gorgeous book for anyone looking for an escape.

  —NetGalley, Karen C.

  This book plucked the strings of my romantic side on multiple occasions. I highly recommend this book to the romantics out there and even the aspiring romantics who just need a little encouragement.

  —The Lesbian Review

  Across the Dark Horizon

  This is a well written and very fast-paced book. It is not overly long and there is quite a bit of action crammed into the pages. Shepard builds great tension throughout the book through both the plot and the bourgeoning relationship between Charlie and Gail. …the result is heart-pounding excitement throughout!

  —-The Lesbian Review

  Bird on a Wire

  This is the second novel by Tagan Shepard. I said for her successful debut that it is a sign that many more fine books are yet to come. I am glad that I was right…With all main elements done well, this makes for another very good book by this author. Keep them coming!

  —goodreads, Pin’s Review

  …She has become an author that I will automatically read now. If you are looking for a good drama book with a little romance, give this a read.

  —goodreads, Lex Reviews

  Visiting Hours

  …Visiting Hours is an emotional tale filled with denial, pain, struggle, commitment, and finally, more than one kind of deep, abiding love.

  —Lambda Literary Review

  Other Bella Books by Tagan Shepard

  Across the Dark Horizon

  And Then There Was Her

  Bird on a Wire

  Visiting Hours

  About the Author

  Tagan Shepard is the author of five novels of sapphic fiction, including the 2019 Goldie winner Bird on a Wire. When not writing about extraordinary women loving other extraordinary women she can be found playing video games, reading or sitting in DC Metro traffic.

  She lives in Virginia with her wife and two cats.

  Copyright © 2020 by Tagan Shepard

  Bella Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 10543

  Tallahassee, FL 32302

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  First Bella Books Edition 2020

  eBook released 2020

  Editor: Cath Walker

  Cover Designer: Kayla Mancuso

  ISBN: 978-1-64247-156-4

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.’

  Acknowledgments

  While I am generally an author who requires quiet and solitude to write, I took a different path with this book. Major portions were written on glorious Sunday mornings in my local coffee shop, The Raven’s Nest in Culpeper, VA. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the owner is gregarious and has possibly the best memory of any human I’ve ever met, and the delicious coffee is locally roasted. My sincere thanks for their hospitality. I have missed it greatly during this pandemic.

  The writing process is lonely, and I’d never be able to survive it without the wonderful friends I’ve made in the community. Writing an action novel for the first time presented new and unique challenges. I am indebted to Celeste, Cade, Kate and Andy, the best beta readers anyone could ask for. A special thank you to Carla Chávez for her assistance with Spanish translations. Any mistakes are mine, not hers.

&
nbsp; Bella Books is a family. There’s no other way to describe it. The love and support I receive from my fellow Bella authors is profound and I am so grateful. Thank you to Cath for her kindness and collaboration as my editor. A simple “thank you” is not enough for Jessica and Linda, but it’s what I have to give. You make my dreams come true.

  Last but never least, my dearest wife, Cris. Thank you for dealing with my late-night plot ramblings and my early morning character quizzes. You’re always my biggest fan and I love you more than I could ever say.

  Dedication

  As always, to my queen

  Author’s Note

  Human trafficking, particularly the forced labor of Asian and Latinx women and girls, is an international disgrace that deserves more media attention than it currently receives. According to the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO), there were an estimated 40.3 million people being held in modern day slavery in 2016. “Women and girls are disproportionally affected by forced labour, accounting for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.” (Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage, Geneva, September 2017)

  It is imperative for all of us to fight against this exploitation. In the United States there are several organizations that are available to help if you or someone you know is aware of potential human trafficking situations:

  National Human Trafficking Hotline

  1-888-373-7888

  humantraffickinghotline.org

  Polaris Project

  polarisproject.org

  CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking)

  castla.org

  In light of the recent attention paid to white authors co-opting the stories of People of Color, I want to be transparent. I am a white author and Marisol Soltero is a Latinx character. This is a story with a Latinx lead, it is not a story about being Latinx. Her experience as a Latinx-American is something I can never understand, but I will do my best to tell the story of her actions, her passions and her love. Because of the absence of government support, minority communities, including the LGBTQ community, have always helped ourselves. Women in particular have been those on the front lines and I want to honor that tradition with Marisol, putting herself in danger to protect her community.

  I encourage everyone who reads this book to also read Own Voices stories by LGBTQ Latinx authors. My personal recommendations are Lex Files by Celeste Castro and Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore.

  Prologue

  2010

  Marisol lay back, content to let Sabrina do all the work. Her view from the nest of pillows was almost as delicious as the sensations Sabrina’s work was creating. Their legs were entwined, smooth pale white and lean red-brown glistening with sweat in the morning sun. Sabrina’s hips tipped forward, mixing Marisol’s raven black curls with her deep auburn. She moaned low in her chest and grabbed at Marisol’s hips, her eyes closed as she moved faster.

  She tipped her head back and screamed as her tension broke, and Marisol yelled right along with her, her own voice an octave lower than Sabrina’s high, delighted soprano. In just three short days they had attuned their bodies perfectly. Pulses of pleasure rippled through Marisol as Sabrina continued to rock against her, her movements slower and more languid after her release.

  Sabrina slowed and stilled, her sweat-soaked body collapsing against Marisol. Once she was down in the pile of pillows, her chest heaving, Marisol was on the move, laying a trail of kisses across Sabrina’s face and neck as she slipped her body on top. She nipped at the tip of her collarbone, a spot she’d learned last night was ticklish, earning a giggle and playful shove. Her kisses moved further down. As she passed over Sabrina’s ample breasts the giggling died and her breathing deepened. Lower still and Sabrina’s long, sure fingers snaked into the short strands of Marisol’s damp hair. Her first taste of the morning had Sabrina panting.

  “Mmmm,” she hummed. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

  Marisol had no intention of stopping. She wrapped her arms around Sabrina’s thighs and redoubled her efforts, Sabrina groaning above her. The groan lengthened into a moan which ended in a shout, her hands fisting in Marisol’s hair.

  Flopping onto her back and tossing away some of the ridiculous number of pillows, Marisol pulled Sabrina to her. She was still breathing hard from her last release. Marisol had discovered Sabrina liked to be held as she came down. Sabrina curled against her side, spreading her palm over the spot between her breasts where Marisol’s heart pounded. Marisol put her hand on top of Sabrina’s making her smile and look up with dreamy, glassy eyes.

  “I could get used to this,” Sabrina said, her voice languid and her eyes drooping.

  “It was one of the better weekends I’ve had in a while.”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me it’s over.”

  “There’s another one coming soon.”

  Sabrina’s eyes were clearer now, meeting Marisol’s. “So you…want to do this again next weekend?”

  There was hope in her voice, poorly hidden behind a forced casualness. Marisol pushed her own anticipation down, all too aware that hope had never brought her anything good. “I don’t have any plans.”

  Sabrina didn’t respond, just smiled and laid her head back down on Marisol’s shoulder, their joined hands resting on Marisol’s heart.

  They both had to get ready for work, so Marisol declined a shower in the hotel. After all, their one-night stand had stretched from Friday night to Saturday morning when Marisol had joined Sabrina in the shower. The same had happened Sunday morning. As nice as third repeat would be, she had an appointment.

  Marisol refused a lift back to the bar to collect her Harley, preferring a brisk morning walk. Its handlebars were peppered with parking tickets, which she tossed into the nearest trash can before speeding across town to shower and change.

  She snagged one of the last spots on the top level of the parking deck across from the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse. Crossing the lot, she spotted a familiar white SUV and stopped in the process of calling the elevator to watch the driver’s door open. What Marisol wore today wasn’t her usual and felt strange on her skin. Her tailored slacks didn’t fit like her leather pants, but at least the shirt was from the men’s section and the leather blazer smelled like her motorcycle jacket. Watching a very familiar pair of legs emerge from the SUV made her clothes feel all the more uncomfortable. All weekend those legs had been wrapped around her naked body and her body yearned to be naked again at the sight of them.

  “Marisol?” Sabrina squeaked, her sharp heels skidding to a stop.

  “Good morning,” Marisol said, then let one side of her lips twitch up. “Again.”

  Sabrina looked much as she had when they’d met at the bar Friday night. Her skirt suit, professional haircut and sensible shoes had reminded Marisol of a lawyer then. The assessment seemed even more accurate now.

  “What are you doing here?” Sabrina asked as the elevator doors slid open.

  “Holding the elevator,” she replied.

  “Of course.” Sabrina looked her over from head to toe, her tongue peeking out to catch her upper lip. “I don’t think it would’ve left me, though. The elevators here are really slow.”

  “Are they? I’ve only been here once before.” The doors jerked shut and the gears groaned into life. “You come here often?”

  Sabrina’s perfume had Marisol’s head spinning with the scent of lily and peach. So did the way she laughed and looked away.

  “Sorry,” Marisol replied, her own smile widening. “That sounded like a line, didn’t it?”

  “And not even the best one you’ve used on me,” she said. Her eyes wandered again and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “Journalist?”

  “Is it that obvious?” Marisol waved a hand over her meticulously bland outfit. They hadn’t gotten around to exchanging trivial information like professions or even last names.

  “It’s not the clothes,�
� Sabrina responded as the elevator ground past another floor. “It’s the knack for setting your audience at ease.”

  “So you’re at ease?”

  Sabrina’s purposeful hesitation was as good as affirmation. “To answer your question, I haven’t come here often, but it’ll be a regular stop from now on.”

  “Ah,” Marisol leaned in. “Lawyer.”

  “Is it that obvious?”

  The doors opened and Marisol held them back for her. “It isn’t the clothes. It’s the knack of making your audience nervous.”

  She laughed and Marisol forgot all about the courthouse and the asshole waiting inside and the cops milling around like fleas on a dog’s back. They both looked at the imposing structure across the street and then around them, as if searching for a reason not to cross the pavement.

  “Well, I should warn you it’ll be a long day,” Sabrina said, indicating the coffee shop next door with a jerk of her head. “You should probably fortify yourself.”

  “Only if you let me buy you a cup.”

  Sabrina pulled the door open and said over her shoulder, “I’ll even sit with you while you drink it.”

  Marisol usually only drank the thick, deliciously bitter brew from her local Puerto Rican bodega, but she’d drink mud to spend more time with Sabrina. She watched the easy way Sabrina ordered for them both, the way she commanded the room effortlessly. It had been that confidence that had attracted Marisol, though she’d been at the bar on Friday night to study the crowd in preparation for her role today, not to pick up a beautiful woman. Sabrina had a way of making her forget everything she was supposed to do and everyone she was supposed to be.

  While she waited for their lattes, Marisol considered the new knowledge that Sabrina was an attorney. It would complicate matters, but she did want to see Sabrina again and she knew all about complicated. She could make it work. All she had to do was win her over before she found out the truth.