An exclusive excerpt and GIVEAWAY from The First Life of Vikram Roy
The Ruby Iyer Series-by Laxmi Hariharan
Ash and I have agreed whoever shows up late for cricket practice has to roll out the pitch-and roll it back up after practice. And so, here I am, on the pitch- just rolled out by Ash-ready to bat. I watch her run in for the next ball. When she raises her arm her shirt stretches firmly across her chest, outlining her breasts. I can't see the shape of her nipples at this distance, but torture myself for a second imagining what they would look like, if she wasn't wearing that shirt. The ball hits the uneven pitch and bounces at me. I manage to duck just in time so it flies over me rather than at my face. I look up to find Ash grinning.
"Well played." She gives me a thumbs-up sign.
"You mean well avoided, right?" I walk across the pitch to hand over the bat and the batting pads we wear to protect our legs. "I don't get why we don't wear helmets during practice?"
"Scared, Vik?" She dares me to contradict her.
She likes pushing me to my limit. Constantly testing me. As if she's seeing how much I can take before I hit back. It turns me on. Or maybe I just like being tortured by her.
"No. Just being careful," I reply.
I take the ball from her and grip it between my fingers the way she's been teaching me.
"Wow, you sure like to live by the rules, don't you?" Her voice is bored.
"No, just don't want to be stupid." I try to raise an eyebrow at her. It's something I have picked up from Tenzin. I've seen him use the same expression with great effect. It makes him look cool and aloof, yet sexy. Or so I've heard the girls whisper.
"What are you trying to do?" She looks confused.
"Uh! Nothing." I obviously need to practise more in front of a mirror. I walk to the end of the clearing in preparation for my run-up. "Ready?" I yell to where Ash is taking guard.
When she nods, I run onto the pitch and bowl. The ball bounces off a rough patch and goes full tilt at her. Ha! Ash is getting a taste of her own medicine.
The next moment, I am running towards her fallen figure. The ball has grazed her head, before flying over the wickets and into the woods beyond. No. No. I didn't mean for that to happen. I hope she's okay. Please, please let her not be hurt. My heart is beating so fast now I can hear the blood pump in my ears.
"Ash!" My voice comes out all choked.
Dropping to my knees, I pat her cheeks lightly. Is she unconscious? She's not dead, is she? A thin stream of blood trickles from her temple. I bend closer, bring my face parallel with hers and place a finger below her nose. When I feel her warm breath brush over my skin, I heave a sigh of relief.
"Ash. Ashley, can you hear me?" I ask again, with more urgency, patting her cheek again. She doesn't move.
Should I try giving her the kiss of life? Not that I know how to do that. Or perhaps press down on her chest? I place the heel of my right hand in the centre of her chest.
"What are you doing?" I feel the rumble of her voice through my palms.
"Ash!" I cry in relief.
She looks at my face, then down to where my palm is still resting on her chest.
"Oh!" I remove my hand. "Sorry, I thought you were dying."
"You are such a pussy, Vikram."
"What do you mean?" My face warms at her words.
"Here I was hoping for some mouth-to-mouth ... You know?" She blinks her eyelids at me coyly.
It only maddens me further. "You mean like this?" I touch my lips to hers, and desire slams painfully into my groin.
Giggling, she pushes at me, so I sit back on my heels.
"Too late now, dummy." So saying, she springs to her feet, dirt clinging to her jeans, her white T-shirt splotchy with grass stains. Bits of mud stick to her braid. That's when I completely, utterly, crush on her.
"Ash ..." I whisper.
"Come on." Still smiling, she holds out her hand, and taking it, I rise to my feet. "Let's head back, shall we?"
We're still holding hands as we enter the school building.
Dad was right. I really do need to work on my timing.
About the origins of Ruby Iyer:
Growing
up in Bombay, my daily commute to university was inevitably nightmarish. It's
just how public transport is here. The man behind you on the bus will brush up
against you. You know you are going to be felt up on a crowded train platform.
All you can do is accept it and get on. Or so you think. I did too, until, a
young photojournalist was raped in the centre of Bombay in broad daylight. It made me furious. Nothing had changed in
this city in all these years. Then, I had a vision of this young girl who would
not back down; who would follow her instincts, stand up for herself regardless
of consequences. Thus Ruby Iyer was
born. Make no mistake, Ruby's her own person. She leads. I follow. You can
download the RUBY IYER DIARIES, the prequel novelette in the series free
About The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer
2015 Readers' Favorite (Bronze) YA Action
YA
Finalist 2015 IAN Book of the Year Award
Finalist 9th Annual Indie Excellence Awards
Criminals run the streets of Bombay. Jam-packedWhen
her best friend is kidnapped, Ruby will stop at nothing to rescue him.
with the worst degenerates. The city is a shell of the pride and joy it used to
be.Ruby knows something must be
done, but it isn't until her best friend is kidnapped by the despotic Dr
Braganza that she knows that she and she alone must save city, save her best
friend, save the world from total destruction.Armed only with Vikram, a
cop-turned-rogue they are about to embark on a road they may never return from.If you're looking for fast-paced books
like Hunger Gamesor dystopia fiction like Angelfall,
the Ruby Iyer series is perfect for you.
DOING MY BIT
All SEPTEMBER earnings
from the RUBY IYER SERIES will be donated to SAVE THE CHILDREN: SUPPORT
CHILD REFUGEES OF SYRIA. All the RUBY IYER books with their brand new
covers, are on SALE all this month at 99p/c & Rs 69/49. Click to buy them. YOU can also donate to SAVE THE
CHILDREN directly
Receive a free copy of THE RUBY IYER DIARIES when you sign up to her Newsletter
The First Life of Vikram Roy, The THIRD book in the RUBY IYER Series, launches this month. To celebrate the launch of the FIRST LIFE OF VIKRAM ROY I am giving away a $30 gift card. Winner will be drawn, Oct 1, 2015, and announced in my next newsletter.
