The prized possession you value above all others…

My kindle! I actually have a backup kindle even. My spouse bought me my first one because we moved so often that carrying 10+ boxes of books was supposedly too much. The kindle was supposed to fix that and in some ways it did, except then I started collecting signed books. I wouldn’t know what to do without my kindle though. I’m an avid reader so it’s a must-have, especially as some books are ebook only. It opened me up to the indie author community.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend…

The temptation you wish you could resist…

The book that holds everlasting resonance…

The priority activity if you were invisible for a day…

Definitely writing. I have two amazing alphas that help keep me on task and I’m positive they would have the same opinion. In fact, they’re usually the ones corralling me away from social media so I can focus. My job is heavy in that area and I’m a workaholic. I also have a tendency to fall down the rabbit hole with YouTube. Thank goodness for alphas that are terrifying! I wouldn’t know what to do without them.

The film you can watch time and time again…

Bad Company with Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins. It’s my go-to for cheering up.

The person who influenced you the most…

My father. He was an amazing man. My love of reading comes from him. Not only that but so many of the lessons he taught our family resonate so deeply. Being active in our community, always doing the right thing no matter what, and never judging another person. Acceptance and love was key for him. I try to embrace his lessons as much as possible.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity…

Math. I’m a huge math geek and I still get out my old calculus and differential equations textbooks for fun. It’s relaxing to me.

The poem that touches your soul…

The event that altered the course of your life…

There have been several but I’ll go with the most recent (and applicable). I recently lost two people who had the largest impact on me growing up. It’s easy to push dreams aside. For me one reason is fear. It’s terrifying to put my heart and soul out there and that’s what writing is for me. It’s intensely personal so putting it out in the public is scary. At that point, it’s no longer my words. People will interpret it differently, feel differently about it, and that’s something I sometimes need prodding to remember. The other part is I’m the caretaker. It makes it easy to push aside my dreams and needs for others. Losing the two people in my life who pushed me, well, all I can say is I didn’t have an option at that point to ignore it anymore. If nothing else I hope that I do their memory proud.

The song that means the most to you…

There are two. Ashley Campbell’s Remembering is one. It was written about her father Glen Campbell who had Alzheimer’s. I lost my father to dementia and that song really gets to me each time I hear it. The second is Son of a Preacher Man by Tom Gross. The lyrics were reimagined and was done in partnership with The Trevor Project and PFLAG. If you have a chance, I highly suggest watching the video. I have the song on repeat.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever…

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you…

Music. I was a concert pianist and competed regularly. I also played several other instruments. However, a hand injury took that away. It’s something I miss dearly and would have loved to continue.

Your early recollections of writing fiction…

It makes me feel incredibly old but the first one I remember was in third grade. There was a young writers competition and as a school project we all had to enter. I remember being a finalist (I didn’t win). I was most excited that I had something interesting to write about when I sent my grandmother a letter that month.

The way you would spend your fantasy twenty-four hours, with no travel restrictions…

I’m an introvert and extremely shy. For me, I’d love to just read and write. Not have any other responsibilities. I’m a caretaker for an elderly family member and also in charge of my chaotic family, including two high-energy terrors of terriers. I also work a job that keeps me busy with jumping from project to project. I’d love to just have a day to myself. I’d get bored after that though.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise…

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend…

The figure from history you would most like to buy a pie and a pint…

The piece of wisdom you would pass onto a child…

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again…

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it…

The philosophy that underpins your life…

Do the right thing always. It’s not always easy but I try my hardest to do it, even when it can break my heart.

The character you enjoyed writing the most…

The character you found difficult to write…

The book you enjoyed planning/writing the most…

A little bit of promo…

Il Padrone is the beginning of the Vendetta Series. It does end on a cliffhanger. However, I should be releasing monthly until the series is completed. This is dark M/M mafia with plenty of kink and at times non-traditional.

I am a complete panster and survive on copious amounts of coffee. These characters and the naughty plot monkeys in my head drive the series. Book 1 is just the beginning of this twisted story of vengeance.

Allesandro and Emilio do not have an easy journey in this series. On the surface, you can’t get too much different, the hardened mob boss in his 40s and the sweet naïve 19-year-old kid. People are always changing though, and I hope that is reflected in my work.

About Il Padrone

Allesandro
I’m Il Padrone, the Master of this Family, and Emilio will learn his place. I’ll bathe in his tears and watch as he humiliates himself. It’s all for my pleasure. I own it all and he’s just another addition to my collection.

Emilio
Il Padrone calls me his toy. His property. He says I can earn the right to be higher in his organization if only I submit. If only I change who I am. I may be younger, but he hasn’t seen the likes of me before.

Just how twisted can a tale of vengeance become?

Trigger Warnings: This is a dark MM Mafia with graphic violence and extreme sexual situations.

Available at: Amazon

An Excerpt from Il Padrone

I watch my servants scurry around to complete my orders as I get ready for my guest. I laugh mentally because he’s definitely not going to feel like a guest. I’d care if I had a heart, but as most accuse me of, I don’t. I’m greedy, and I know it.

The bedroom is two doors down from mine. It’s a basic bedroom, freshly painted white. There’s a bed in the middle and a closet with built-in hangers. A small bathroom is joined to the room, but there’s no door. The toilet, sink, and cramped shower is barely enough to stave off claustrophobia. I’m sure he’ll complain about the door—or the lack thereof—but really, I’m being nice considering the size. Most of the comforts my previous boy enjoyed have been removed. It takes time to earn those luxuries. I like to leave some rewards in the room like blankets, pillows, and even a limited amount of clothing. It’s not out of kindness, really. It serves my purpose to give him things I can take away when he rebels as he learns his new role in life—and he will rebel.

I’m pleased with how everything is coming together. The room between us has already been fixed to my specifications—it’s a place for me to play with my new acquisition. It’s the one room that I wouldn’t let the servants touch. It didn’t need much anyway, but the cell is ready for any significant disobedience. I can’t stop my evil grin because no matter how well I explain someone’s new life to them, they always end up there. Thankfully, I have cameras in all three of the rooms, so I’ll get to enjoy the show as he breaks, and as I mold him into my perfect boy.

As the servants leave, Luca walks in holding a file.

“I have all the information you requested,” he notifies me with a disapproving look, barely able to meet my eyes.

“Give me the highlights.”

“Name is Emilio, but he goes by Lio typically. Mother is deceased, father unknown. Interestingly, Cliff isn’t his full brother, although I’m not sure if they’re aware of that. It came from the blood work when the mother was in the hospital, and of course, I accessed Emilio’s medical file. We already have Cliff’s. Different fathers,” he states tiredly. I’m sure he didn’t sleep much as he worked to find out everything there possibly was to know about Emilio for me.

He pauses for a moment. I’m not sure why he’s scowling now, but it could be due to my gleeful expression. Knowledge is power, and that’s a good find I can use against Emilio. I try out Lio mentally, but I’m not sure how I feel about the nickname. It’s not like he’ll retain his name anyway, so I dismiss it.

“What else have you found?” I question, gesturing for him to finish.

“He’s…different. Much different than your normal choices. He’s a junior in college. Very young. He’s only nineteen. Extremely intelligent. Everyone in the mathematics department I was able to speak to had glowing recommendations. He’ll be the type to be missed. Aside from his high IQ, which testing shows is among the top percentile, he’s rather oblivious about life. He’s never dated, and nobody can figure out if he’s gay, straight, or other. He’s had both sexes flirt with him, but he didn’t respond. The professors can’t decide if he’s legitimately clueless about being flirted with or simply uninterested in sex,” Luca stops briefly and shifts uncomfortably. “He’s so young, with his whole life ahead of him and his disappearance won’t go unnoticed. After the last boy…”

Luca abruptly halts when he sees the fury on my face. He knows this is not his decision to make. I’m in charge, and it seems like my friend needs a reminder who is Il Padrone here.

“Everything you said increases my interest. I’ll enjoy making him my best boy ever. At least you’d better hope for that outcome. Because once he’s here, you’re going to be the one to cover his disappearance. Oh, and instead of giving him a life to go back to, I want you to completely ruin him. There will be nothing but ashes left when you’re done, correct? Because I know you’re worried about what I want and don’t really care about my new toy, right?” I end the last question with a deadly quiet voice that reinforces my position. I see his face go grey, and I’m satisfied I’ve made my point.

It’s too bad I had to do that, but it’s necessary. At least this means Lio is going nowhere, and when I’m bored, I’ll simply find a solution to take care of the problem. With a quick wave, I dismiss Luca and decide to recheck all three rooms. After all, I need it all perfect for the new property I’ve acquired. This time, I can’t stop the laugh from escaping. Really, I don’t even try. This is going to be perfect.

About Leigh Kenzie

Leigh is a dark M/M romance author from Texas with two needy terrors of terriers and a chaotic family. She considers coffee a major food group and her family fears broken coffeemakers. She writes in her spare time, forced to the keyboard by characters entirely too vocal in her opinion and often falls victim to plot monkeys. In between creating mayhem with her characters and friends, her hope is to transport readers to fictional places and provide darkness with a twist.

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