Bad Uncle
Family Portrait Book 5
by Gillian Felix
Genre: New Adult Drama, Contemporary Fiction
Who needs enemies when you’ve got family
The stars are aligned in Adriana’s favor, but secrets have a way of exposing themselves just when everything is perfect. As Adriana and Haze’s relationship heads south, Carys is ready to pounce. Will Adriana’s lies drive the man she loves into the arms of another?
Meanwhile, Zax is finally with his dream girl, but why can’t he get his best friend’s girl out of his mind? When she turns to him for advice on how to be a better girlfriend, can he put his selfish desires aside, or will he follow his siblings and take what he wants despite the consequences?
When Kevin’s lifestyle puts innocent L’Wren in danger, his retaliation brings his ruthless uncle back to Los Angeles and into the lives of his family. In Bad Uncle, you’ll get to know the man who has the power to change the legacy of the Banovic family forever.
For Readers 18+, Can easily be read as a standalone!
Goodreads * Amazon
The stars are aligned in Adriana’s favor, but secrets have a way of exposing themselves just when everything is perfect. As Adriana and Haze’s relationship heads south, Carys is ready to pounce. Will Adriana’s lies drive the man she loves into the arms of another?
Meanwhile, Zax is finally with his dream girl, but why can’t he get his best friend’s girl out of his mind? When she turns to him for advice on how to be a better girlfriend, can he put his selfish desires aside, or will he follow his siblings and take what he wants despite the consequences?
When Kevin’s lifestyle puts innocent L’Wren in danger, his retaliation brings his ruthless uncle back to Los Angeles and into the lives of his family. In Bad Uncle, you’ll get to know the man who has the power to change the legacy of the Banovic family forever.
For Readers 18+, Can easily be read as a standalone!
Goodreads * Amazon
Haze switched his thoughts to Adriana. Every fiber of his being was in love with her and he was tired of hiding it. He and Carys had talked about it on their way to New York, and she made a valid point of saying that he and Adriana were both consenting adults and her parents couldn’t stop them from seeing each other. She encouraged him to go to Adriana’s parents, and if Adriana truly loved him, she would forgive him. Haze was hell-bent on professing his love for Adriana to her parents. He’d planned his speech and was ready. He was ready to apologize for sneaking around behind their backs and was willing to take whatever consequences they dished out. He was willing to do whatever it took to finally be with Adriana in the open.
He walked briskly through LAX. His mission, while he still had the courage, was to head to Banovic Manor. He texted his roommate, Chellon, to pick him up at the airport. Haze could hardly wait to get to the outside a few yards in front of him. With his eyes set firmly on his finish line, he dodged people coming at him from all directions; then just outside of Starbucks, L’Wren DaCosta bumped into him, spilling some of her ice-cold drink down his pant leg. As the liquid penetrated his pants and touched his skin, it slammed him into the present.
“I am so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” she apologized.
“It’s okay, neither was I.” He dusted the liquid from his pants.
“I’m so sorry, let me …” She tried to wipe it off.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s okay. Lemme buy you another one.” Haze looked at her for the first time and she looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her.
“No, no, no, it’s fine. I am so clumsy!”
“You’re Kevin’s girlfriend.”
“I knew you looked familiar. Have we met?” L’Wren asked.
“Haze. I work for the Banovics, part time, but I’ve seen you at Bacchanal Jake’s.”
“That’s right!”
Haze nodded.
“L’Wren. Nice to meet you,” she introduced herself.
“Yeah, you too. You coming or going?”
“Just coming back from New York City. I presented one of my designs at Fashion Week.”
“No way! I was just coming back from there. I had a gig at that event.”
“Do you want a ride? My roommate should be here any minute now.”
“Kevin’s picking me up.” She beamed; it was obvious to Haze that she was very much in love with Kevin by the way she lit up when she mentioned his name.
L’Wren and Haze walked and talked about the shows. Once outside, the conversation flowed easily. They were so engrossed in conversation that they didn’t notice a black SUV pull up a few feet away. Two men got out and walked towards them.
“L’Wren?” one of the men asked.
“Yes.”
“Kevin sent us to pick you up.”
One of the men relieved her of her bags. Haze had an uneasy feeling as he watched the man who spoke lead her away by her elbow.
“Bye, Haze.” She smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
Haze faked a smile, but his gut told him that something was not right. He saw them open the backseat door for her and he started walking towards them. One of the men noticed and quickly got in with L’Wren and they hastily drove off. He memorized the license plate as he dialed Kevin. At the same time Chellon pulled up and Haze spotted Kevin’s vehicle in traffic several cars behind.
Haze dropped his bag and ran towards Kevin’s vehicle.
“Hey, man!” Chellon called as he got out of his vehicle.
Kevin spotted Haze and lowered the window on the passenger side. “What’s going on, Haze?”
“Two guys just grabbed your girl, I think.”
“You shitting me, right?” Kevin looked at him in disbelief.
Chellon caught up to them.
“Kevin, I’m dead serious.” Haze told them everything that happened and gave him the license plate of the vehicle, and Kevin sped off, honking his way through traffic.
“We should call the cops. I’ve got the license plate, they could help.” Haze looked for both vehicles, but they had already disappeared.
“No, man, Kevin’s got this,” Chellon replied. Just then an airport security guard started to hassle them about leaving their vehicle unattended.
He walked briskly through LAX. His mission, while he still had the courage, was to head to Banovic Manor. He texted his roommate, Chellon, to pick him up at the airport. Haze could hardly wait to get to the outside a few yards in front of him. With his eyes set firmly on his finish line, he dodged people coming at him from all directions; then just outside of Starbucks, L’Wren DaCosta bumped into him, spilling some of her ice-cold drink down his pant leg. As the liquid penetrated his pants and touched his skin, it slammed him into the present.
“I am so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” she apologized.
“It’s okay, neither was I.” He dusted the liquid from his pants.
“I’m so sorry, let me …” She tried to wipe it off.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s okay. Lemme buy you another one.” Haze looked at her for the first time and she looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her.
“No, no, no, it’s fine. I am so clumsy!”
“You’re Kevin’s girlfriend.”
“I knew you looked familiar. Have we met?” L’Wren asked.
“Haze. I work for the Banovics, part time, but I’ve seen you at Bacchanal Jake’s.”
“That’s right!”
Haze nodded.
“L’Wren. Nice to meet you,” she introduced herself.
“Yeah, you too. You coming or going?”
“Just coming back from New York City. I presented one of my designs at Fashion Week.”
“No way! I was just coming back from there. I had a gig at that event.”
“Do you want a ride? My roommate should be here any minute now.”
“Kevin’s picking me up.” She beamed; it was obvious to Haze that she was very much in love with Kevin by the way she lit up when she mentioned his name.
L’Wren and Haze walked and talked about the shows. Once outside, the conversation flowed easily. They were so engrossed in conversation that they didn’t notice a black SUV pull up a few feet away. Two men got out and walked towards them.
“L’Wren?” one of the men asked.
“Yes.”
“Kevin sent us to pick you up.”
One of the men relieved her of her bags. Haze had an uneasy feeling as he watched the man who spoke lead her away by her elbow.
“Bye, Haze.” She smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
Haze faked a smile, but his gut told him that something was not right. He saw them open the backseat door for her and he started walking towards them. One of the men noticed and quickly got in with L’Wren and they hastily drove off. He memorized the license plate as he dialed Kevin. At the same time Chellon pulled up and Haze spotted Kevin’s vehicle in traffic several cars behind.
Haze dropped his bag and ran towards Kevin’s vehicle.
“Hey, man!” Chellon called as he got out of his vehicle.
Kevin spotted Haze and lowered the window on the passenger side. “What’s going on, Haze?”
“Two guys just grabbed your girl, I think.”
“You shitting me, right?” Kevin looked at him in disbelief.
Chellon caught up to them.
“Kevin, I’m dead serious.” Haze told them everything that happened and gave him the license plate of the vehicle, and Kevin sped off, honking his way through traffic.
“We should call the cops. I’ve got the license plate, they could help.” Haze looked for both vehicles, but they had already disappeared.
“No, man, Kevin’s got this,” Chellon replied. Just then an airport security guard started to hassle them about leaving their vehicle unattended.
Gillian Felix has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She enjoys creating characters that could be your next-door neighbor, but would you want them as your neighbor is another story.
Originally from the island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Felix moved to the United States in 1998. Since then she has been involved in the entertainment industry for over ten years. Her experience ranges from script supervisor to production manager on many independent features. She is trained in the Meisner and Stanislavski technique of acting, which she credits as an asset to her character development and writing.
Miss Felix is also an entrepreneur and advocate for children's and women's rights.
Website * LinkedIn * Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon
Originally from the island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Felix moved to the United States in 1998. Since then she has been involved in the entertainment industry for over ten years. Her experience ranges from script supervisor to production manager on many independent features. She is trained in the Meisner and Stanislavski technique of acting, which she credits as an asset to her character development and writing.
Miss Felix is also an entrepreneur and advocate for children's and women's rights.
Website * LinkedIn * Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon
The Bad Girls of The Family Portrait Series
by Gillian Felix
The Family Portrait series is an ensemble cast made up of diverse characters. The series is packed with good and bad characters. But today I’d like to focus on the bad girls. In the series, the bad girls outnumber the bad boys 3 to 1. Why do I like them so much? They are hella fun to write, not to mention, there is a sense of empowerment writing about these ladies who have done some despicable things to get what they want.
You’ve seen it on television, bad-ass ladies like Amanda Wentworth (Melrose Place), Brenda Welch and Valerie Malone (Beverly Hills, 90210), Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy) and the Queen Bitch herself, Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones). If we are honest with ourselves, we love to watch them in action! Okay … I love to watch them in action.
Bad girls serve the purpose of driving the story forward. In a series like Family Portrait with many plot lines, all of my bad girls do a stellar job of kicking the drama to a whole other level. They’ve been known to piss you guys off, but that, dear readers, is what makes the series interesting. Go on admit it. If everybody was nice or we only had one bad boy/girl in the series, the series would be a single novel.
Without further ado … I present, the bad girls of the Family Portrait Series.
Adriana Kelly Banovic (Books 1-5 and soon to be released Book 6)
Adriana is the star of the series. The original idea of the book comes from her life and all the tumbles she takes while trying to make it in Hollywood.
Is it risky revolving a series around a bad girl who people may not like? Sure. But it was a risk I was willing to take, and it paid off.
Adriana has done some pretty mean things that have surprised even me. She’s antagonized fan favorite, Leighann for most of the series. Lied to Haze, another fan favorite, pimped out her brother and made him a drug mule. Got Astrid expelled, blackmailed Carys. Tied Frankie in his birthday suit, to the toilet at his girlfriend’s house. This 15-year-old got some skills!
Savannah (Savi) DaCosta (Books 1-4)
You would think Savi, the only full-fledged adult in this lineup would know better. But Savi set the standard for bad behavior. Savi blackmailed Kevin, slept with her high school bestie’s son, verbally abused Leighann, mentally screwed with her children. Kept her ex-husband from his daughter, never filed their divorce papers (in hopes of cashing in on his fortune), and if that wasn’t enough, she drove her car into his living room and held him up at gunpoint. Damn, I miss Savi!
Kristin Amanda Newman (Books 1, 2, 4, 5, 6-TBR)
The only person Kristin looks after is Kristin. Tennis champ Kristin Newman is the envy of most girls at Westwood Academy. On the surface, she is perfect. The perfect body, boyfriend, she’s popular. But Kristin hides her deviance very well. She is sleeping with her boyfriend’s best friend, and manipulating both of them in the process, and they think she is so innocent. Adriana knows something is not right with her … it takes one to know one, right? But nobody would believe Adriana if she says anything bad about Kristin, because Adriana has an in-your-face reputation for causing trouble. The clash between Adriana and Kristin is a hot mess I can’t wait to see play out!
Astrid Wilson (Books 1, 2, 3)
I doubt anyone feels sorry for Astrid. After all she started the feud between herself and Adriana. The first day Adriana set foot in Westwood Academy, Astrid was sure to mark her territory by putting Adriana in her place. She was instrumental in provoking Adriana to throw the first punch, leaving poor Amy Wasserman with a black eye. She clogged the toilet with Adriana’s clothes in an effort to humiliate her. She bullied her boyfriend, Warren, slept with Frankie and boosted to Warren about it. Astrid is the fashionista of Westwood Academy but too bad her behavior doesn’t compliment her nice outfits!
Carys Wilson (Books 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 – TBR)
Carys wants Haze and would stop at nothing to get him. The problem is that Adriana has him and is not about to let him go. Carys attempts to blackmail Adriana but the plan backfires. Kinda… because what she lost in one victory, she gained in another by getting Adriana kicked out of school.
Reece Kincaid (Book 5)
Reece is a well known drug peddler at St. Theresa Catholic School for Girls. Reece compares her stay at the all-girl school, as a wolf in a hen house. Reece was sent to the school as punishment for being gay. Her parents hoped that the institution would de-gay her, but the joke’s on them!
Victoria Johansson (Book 3, 4, 5)
I LOVE Vicki Jo! She is Kevin’s best friend and ally. The thing about her… she’s a trained assassin. She is the only person who knows how dangerous Kevin’s business really is… she’s in it too. If I were in that kind of business, I’d want her watching my back. Victoria was bold enough to pull a gun on their boss when Kevin’s life was threatened. This bad girl has brass balls!
Her character just appeared out of nowhere for me, she was not in the previous versions of the books or the television series. I am glad she surfaced. I can’t wait for her to appear in the other books and see where her character takes me.
There you have it! The bad girls of FPS up to book 6. Who knows how many more will surface as the series progresses. Can these bad girls be redeemed? I’m looking forward to the adventure they are sure to take me on. Are you with me?
Download your free copy of Changes (Family Portrait Book 1) on Amazon or everywhere ebooks are sold.
by Gillian Felix
The Family Portrait series is an ensemble cast made up of diverse characters. The series is packed with good and bad characters. But today I’d like to focus on the bad girls. In the series, the bad girls outnumber the bad boys 3 to 1. Why do I like them so much? They are hella fun to write, not to mention, there is a sense of empowerment writing about these ladies who have done some despicable things to get what they want.
You’ve seen it on television, bad-ass ladies like Amanda Wentworth (Melrose Place), Brenda Welch and Valerie Malone (Beverly Hills, 90210), Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy) and the Queen Bitch herself, Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones). If we are honest with ourselves, we love to watch them in action! Okay … I love to watch them in action.
Bad girls serve the purpose of driving the story forward. In a series like Family Portrait with many plot lines, all of my bad girls do a stellar job of kicking the drama to a whole other level. They’ve been known to piss you guys off, but that, dear readers, is what makes the series interesting. Go on admit it. If everybody was nice or we only had one bad boy/girl in the series, the series would be a single novel.
Without further ado … I present, the bad girls of the Family Portrait Series.
Adriana Kelly Banovic (Books 1-5 and soon to be released Book 6)
Adriana is the star of the series. The original idea of the book comes from her life and all the tumbles she takes while trying to make it in Hollywood.
Is it risky revolving a series around a bad girl who people may not like? Sure. But it was a risk I was willing to take, and it paid off.
Adriana has done some pretty mean things that have surprised even me. She’s antagonized fan favorite, Leighann for most of the series. Lied to Haze, another fan favorite, pimped out her brother and made him a drug mule. Got Astrid expelled, blackmailed Carys. Tied Frankie in his birthday suit, to the toilet at his girlfriend’s house. This 15-year-old got some skills!
Savannah (Savi) DaCosta (Books 1-4)
You would think Savi, the only full-fledged adult in this lineup would know better. But Savi set the standard for bad behavior. Savi blackmailed Kevin, slept with her high school bestie’s son, verbally abused Leighann, mentally screwed with her children. Kept her ex-husband from his daughter, never filed their divorce papers (in hopes of cashing in on his fortune), and if that wasn’t enough, she drove her car into his living room and held him up at gunpoint. Damn, I miss Savi!
Kristin Amanda Newman (Books 1, 2, 4, 5, 6-TBR)
The only person Kristin looks after is Kristin. Tennis champ Kristin Newman is the envy of most girls at Westwood Academy. On the surface, she is perfect. The perfect body, boyfriend, she’s popular. But Kristin hides her deviance very well. She is sleeping with her boyfriend’s best friend, and manipulating both of them in the process, and they think she is so innocent. Adriana knows something is not right with her … it takes one to know one, right? But nobody would believe Adriana if she says anything bad about Kristin, because Adriana has an in-your-face reputation for causing trouble. The clash between Adriana and Kristin is a hot mess I can’t wait to see play out!
Astrid Wilson (Books 1, 2, 3)
I doubt anyone feels sorry for Astrid. After all she started the feud between herself and Adriana. The first day Adriana set foot in Westwood Academy, Astrid was sure to mark her territory by putting Adriana in her place. She was instrumental in provoking Adriana to throw the first punch, leaving poor Amy Wasserman with a black eye. She clogged the toilet with Adriana’s clothes in an effort to humiliate her. She bullied her boyfriend, Warren, slept with Frankie and boosted to Warren about it. Astrid is the fashionista of Westwood Academy but too bad her behavior doesn’t compliment her nice outfits!
Carys Wilson (Books 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 – TBR)
Carys wants Haze and would stop at nothing to get him. The problem is that Adriana has him and is not about to let him go. Carys attempts to blackmail Adriana but the plan backfires. Kinda… because what she lost in one victory, she gained in another by getting Adriana kicked out of school.
Reece Kincaid (Book 5)
Reece is a well known drug peddler at St. Theresa Catholic School for Girls. Reece compares her stay at the all-girl school, as a wolf in a hen house. Reece was sent to the school as punishment for being gay. Her parents hoped that the institution would de-gay her, but the joke’s on them!
Victoria Johansson (Book 3, 4, 5)
I LOVE Vicki Jo! She is Kevin’s best friend and ally. The thing about her… she’s a trained assassin. She is the only person who knows how dangerous Kevin’s business really is… she’s in it too. If I were in that kind of business, I’d want her watching my back. Victoria was bold enough to pull a gun on their boss when Kevin’s life was threatened. This bad girl has brass balls!
Her character just appeared out of nowhere for me, she was not in the previous versions of the books or the television series. I am glad she surfaced. I can’t wait for her to appear in the other books and see where her character takes me.
There you have it! The bad girls of FPS up to book 6. Who knows how many more will surface as the series progresses. Can these bad girls be redeemed? I’m looking forward to the adventure they are sure to take me on. Are you with me?
Download your free copy of Changes (Family Portrait Book 1) on Amazon or everywhere ebooks are sold.
