The enemy of my enemy is not my friend. Sebastian Vaughn is haunted by the ghost of his dead lover.
After coming face to face with everything he lost, he’s on the run with a deadly assassin who’s on the verge of insanity. What else are you meant to do when the biggest ghost from your past stares you right in the face? Go with the flow, or die trying.
Xavier Blood never thought he’d fall in love, let alone work for the good guys.
Mercy Reid held him together during the darkest time of his life and now she’s an agent alongside him. Working Black Ops for the British government means two things. No accountability and no association. Get caught and you’re dead.
Their first assignment puts them on the trail of Vaughn, the assassin who saved his life, and the last living man who took everything from him, Jaques Lafayette.
The stakes are high, trust is a hot commodity and someone’s going to die.
Only time will tell whose blood will paint the world red.
She is
the author of wicked stories about rock stars looking for redemption, gritty
romances featuring MMA fighters and dark tales of forbidden romance. She loves
to write about screwed up relationships and kick ass female leads
that don’t take s**t lying down.
Amity
lives in a leafy country town in southern Australia and can be found
chained to her desk, held at ransom by her characters.
Book Title: Black Listed (Benediction) Author: Shelly Bell Genre: Erotic Suspense Release Date: March 22, 2016 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
She sacrificed everything to keep him safe…
Five years ago, con artist Lisa Smith broke the first rule of hustling when she fell in love with—and married—her mark, billionaire Sawyer Hayes. The erotic nights spent acting out her darkest fantasies with her husband and Master were the happiest of her life. But when her ruthless father demanded she kill him and take his money, she had no choice but to disappear without a trace…or lose him forever.
He’ll risk everything to have her again…
Now Sawyer has found her, and he has an indecent proposal: submit to him for seven nights and he’ll grant her the divorce she desires. Forced to pretend she no longer loves him, each night spent in his arms is exquisite torture as they reignite their intense passion through role play and ménage. But when a deranged killer out for revenge targets Lisa, she must finally trust Sawyer with the secrets of her past…or neither of them will live to see the future.
warning: sado-masochism, group sex, fisting, and consensual non-consent
As long as Lisa had the ability to inherit Sawyer’s estate, he was in danger. Now that he was back in her life, there was one more thing she could do to ensure his safety.
She squared her shoulders. “If I did you a favor by leaving, then you won’t mind giving me a divorce.”
He flinched, the first crack in his armor that she’d witnessed tonight. “That’s what you want?”
Her breath stalled in her chest. “Y-yes.”
A divorce was the last thing she wanted, but it was what they needed. She should have done it years ago, but she couldn’t be the one to file since she would be required by law to give her address.
A slow grin appeared on his face. “What will you give me for the divorce?”
She’d gotten butterflies every time he’d smiled at her in the past, but this time, a lead weight filled her belly. “Give you?”
He toyed with the ends of her short brown hair, his fingers restless. “You took that money from me. Even though legally you had every right to it, you played me to get it. You owe me. And I’m here to collect.”
“I told you, I don’t have the money. You saw it yourself. I own nothing. There’s no way I can repay you.” She took a deep breath, trying not to let his nearness affect her.
His hands framed her face. “I don’t want money. There are other more pleasurable ways to collect on the debt you owe me.”
“What are you suggesting?” she asked, afraid of his answer.
“Seven nights. Same soft and hard limits from five years ago.”
Her heart sped up, making her breathless. Out of all the things she expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them. “So if I make love to you for seven nights, you’ll grant me a divorce and forgive the debt I owe you?”
He laughed. “What we’ll do could never be classified as ‘making love.’ We’ll fuck. I set the scenes. And you can do what you do best.” His expression turned cold once more, while his eyes seared into her. “Pretend.”
It shouldn’t hurt as much as it did. Like Sawyer had reached inside her chest cavity and squeezed her heart in his hand.
She could barely get the words off her tongue. “Role play.”
“If you hate me so much, why do you want to fuck me again?” she asked. “I would think a divorce is exactly what you’d want. At Benediction, you have an entire sex club of women at your disposal.”
The idea of him with another woman twisted her insides, but it would be much harder to take him inside her body again and not show him how much she loved him.
She wasn’t that good of an actress.
“I already have an entire sex club of women at my disposal. Didn’t Rachel and Logan tell you about their time at Paradise Found?”
Rachel had mentioned she and Logan had hid at Paradise Found, Logan’s friend’s club in Las Vegas, and Rachel had described to her at length the sinful things she’d seen there. “You own a sex club?”
“Why does that surprise you? You know better than anyone how much I enjoy a good fuck. Once you left, I considered myself a free agent.” His lips tightened into a straight line, his eyes flat. “You didn’t actually think I’d wait for you, did you?”
“No,” she whispered. “Why would you? You were right. Our marriage vows meant nothing. You had every right to sleep with as many women as you wanted.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “And I had the right to sleep with anyone I wanted as well.”
He didn’t give her a warning before slamming her up against the bookshelf. If there had been any change in his eyes, anything other than the coldness still lingering, she would’ve believed he was jealous.
His scent and heat wrapped her in an embrace even as she tried to resist the spell he held over her.
She thought about what Rachel had told her about Paradise Found. She’d mentioned that Logan’s friends were into ménage. Did that include Sawyer? While she had remained faithful, had he been indulging in wild sex parties and threesomes?
Sawyer braced a hand over her head, looming over her as he boxed her in. “For the next seven nights, you belong to me. You don’t fuck anyone else. You don’t even think about fucking someone else. Your nights are mine. Your body is mine. Do it and I’ll grant you a divorce and forgive your debt. You won’t ever have to worry about me again.”
Seven nights. It should be so easy to get him out of her system. But despite what he thought, she’d worry about him for the rest of her life. For the next week, the pleasure he’d bestow would be a living hell for her. It was punishment for her sins. It was no less than what she deserved.
She gave a sigh of resignation. “It’s a deal.”
AUTHOR ENDORSEMENTS FOR THE BENEDICTION SERIES
“A rollercoaster ride of jaw-dropping sex, heated anticipation, and a perfect dash of suspense, all tied together with flawless writing. When I wasn’t clenching my thighs, I was frantically flipping pages to find out what would happen next! I can’t recommend this series enough. Buy it. Devour it.”
~ Alessandra Torre, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Shelly Bell is a fresh new voice in erotic romance. She brings the heat!”
~ Lexi Blake, New York Times Bestselling Author
“White Collared takes you on a thrill ride of danger, murder and lust, leaving you hungry for the next installment.”
~ Stacey Kennedy, USA Today Bestselling Author
EDITORIAL REVIEWS FOR THE BEDICTION SERIES
About the White Collared serial (Benediction #1)
“If you love romantic suspense novels and like your stories with a little edge to them on the passion side, you will want to check out WHITE COLLARED PART ONE: MERCY. Think of it as a cross between a thriller like Gone Girl and one of the hugely popular BDSM billionaire stories like the Fifty Shades of Gray or the Crossfire Trilogies.”
~ The Romance Reviews
“WHITE COLLARED, Shelly Bell’s pulsating four-part series of erotic suspense, is a boost to maintain this sub-genre that shot to popularity in the nineteen eighties with the success of, among others, BLUE VELVET and FATAL ATTRACTION.”
~ The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers magazine)
About Red Handed (Benediction #2)
“Now that is a good suspense thriller. I have fallen in love with this author and Benediction.”
~The Jeep Diva
“It was awesome, hot, erotic, surprising, suspenseful, and I was totally obsessed until the end!”
~Crazy Four Books
“The author throws more plot twists on the unsuspecting reader and keeps building the stakes, along with extremely steamy scenes that are not to be forgotten.”
~ Literaria
About Blue Blooded (Benediction #3)
“This is a bona fide page-turner laced with political intrigue, thrilling action and steamy sex scenes. The main characters’ chemistry sizzles as they search for the truth behind a gruesome murder and encounter a plot with deadly consequences.”
~RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick
“Shelly Bell gives us dirty politicians, intense sexual desires, suspense that will leave you on the edge of your seat, and romance that will leave you breathless.”
~Harlequin Junkie, 5 Star Top Pick
A sucker for a happy ending, Shelly Bell writes sensual romance often with a bit of kink and action-filled erotic thrillers with high-emotional stakes for her alpha heroes and kick-ass heroines.
She began writing upon the insistence of her husband who dragged her to the store and bought her a laptop. When she’s not working her day job, taking care of her family, or writing, you’ll find her reading the latest smutty romance.
Shelly Bell writes the Benediction series for Avon Red Impulse and the forthcoming Forbidden Lovers series for Grand Central Forever.
Our love is imperfect in the most perfect way. It is love done our way. Raw. Unconventional. Sexy as hell. More importantly, it is honest to the core…Or so I think.
One little, white lie shouldn’t do so much damage. Yet, it changes me forever.
The worst part is that Declan whispers that sweet nothing out of protection. My safety is in the forefront of his mind, especially since there are others who’d hurt me simply to get to him. I never consider that he will be the one to cut me so deeply. But it all starts with that first prick—the night he saves my life.
“A hauntingly amazing read.” – 5 Star Goodreads Reviewer
“It’s not often you are sucked into a story so completely, but there really is no way around it with Soulless.” – 5 Star Review A Cup and a Book
“This is quite a story. It is a story of demons. A story of a special demon and the deals he makes with living people.” – 5 Star Goodreads Reviewer
His perilous stare deepened as his grip fastened around my waist. As maniacal thoughts passed over his eyes, his grasp tightened. That look confirmed that I wasn’t the only one who wanted all the space between us eliminated. I could hardly breathe when his gaze fell to my lips. It left me without words. It was the very way a passing glance could leave you speechless. But Declan didn’t just take a glimpse. No, he unapologetically looked me over. He loved me in not so many words, but I heard them all the same. I heard them with each moan that echoed in the air. I felt them as he held me gently in his arms. Even if I didn’t feel the desire radiating off of him in a fury of passion, he bore that intensity in his gaze. The world around us melted away until there was only me and him.
Sarah J. Pepper specializes in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn’t only filled with hugs, kisses, bunnies, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn’t always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn’t mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit? Get a glimpse inside her head at www.sarahjpepper.com
All my life I’ve been hiding, until there is no corner on this god-forsaken earth left for me to hide. I have to pay for the sins of my father. No one with Ellison blood in their veins is allowed to live, and I am the last of my bloodline.I am kept in a container waiting for my death sentence to be carried out, when he comes. He is only known as ‘Predator’. No one knows who he works for, only that he leaves no one alive.
His every breath is filled with the last gasp of his dying prey.
But for some reason he doesn’t kill me.
I don’t know which is worse, the death sentence hanging over my head, or being at his mercy.
“Look at me, Cara,” and he waits until I do, “love is such a flawed thing. You can love someone but still leave them. What I feel for you goes way beyond that one word. I’m addicted to you. I feel protective of you. I breathe for you.” His eyes caress my face and follow the tears into my hair. “Love is really such a flawed word for what I feel. I live for you.”
Author Bio
Michelle Horst is from a small town in South Africa.
She’s been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for books, quotes and animals.
She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked.
Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey. A journey filled with joy, passion and heart stopping moments. Most of all, it’s filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers.
Thank you to each and every reader and for choosing to escape in one of my books.
My first memory was of a slap, hard across the face: the sting on my cheek and the jarring of my bones as I slammed back into my bed. It was my dad who had hit me.
I had been four.
Most of my memories were much of the same and no one ever saw, no one ever fought to help, no one ever cared.
Then we moved.
My new neighbor cared, rescued the twelve-year-old I had been from a beating. Always thought I’d suffer the nightmare alone, I was wrong.
Mace Donati saved me that day in all the ways a person could be saved.
And his daughter, Mia, she became the friend I had always wanted, my conscience when my own faltered, the light that led me home when I had lost my way.
The girl who grew into the only woman I would ever love.
But when you realize you’re more like your father than the good people who took you in and gave you a home, the only way to return their kindness is to let them go.
I let them go, got so far lost in the shadows I couldn’t remember who I was anymore. Mia never gave up on me. She fought for me, kept the light on so I’d find my way back.
And when I did, life threw us a curveball. I had to hurt Mia in order to save her.
But when my past comes back to haunt me and I almost lose her, I’m ready to fight for her…fight to find a way back into her heart while keeping the demons from my past from finishing what they started.
~ Cole Campbell
“What an emotional roller coaster that was for me…unbelievable, i loved it..it was so different and unique.” -5 Star Review from My Book Filled Life
“It’s raw, emotional, and beautiful all at once plus full of twists and turns.” -5 Star Review from Vanilla Twist Reads
“This will by far be one of my favorites for the WHOLE YEAR. I know it is only January but I am THAT sure.”– 5 Star Review from Author Grace Morales
═══ T H U N D E R C L A P • C A M P A I G N ═══
Please help in Supporting L. A. Fiore Thunderclap Campaign of His Light in the Dark. Releasing onFebruary 9th. Just click support and you are done. Thank you for supporting this author and her upcoming release!
L.A. Fiore is the author of several books including: Beautifully Damaged, Waiting for the One and A Glimpse of the Dream. She’s also the social secretary for her two children, a tamer of ill-mannered cats, the companion to one awesome dog and married to her best friend. She likes her wine red, her shrimp chilled and her social gatherings small and intimate.
NEVER MISS A THING! SIGN UP FOR L.A. FIORE’S NEWSLETTER :
Go on, lick it.Cupcake queen Jules Rockwell has sworn off men. All men. Because heartbreak is a bitch. But when sexy chef Cal McKenzie shows up in town – with a soft as butter Scottish accent and abs you could lick frosting off – she wonders if maybe a no-strings fling is exactly what she needs.
Then she finds out the truth: he’s opening up his own rival bakery, right down the street from her store. Her sexy fling is now her #1 competition – and Jules never backs down from a fight.
Cal McKenzie doesn’t play by the rules. His sex appeal and chocolate eclairs are a deadly combination, and he’s got his eye on worldwide pastry domination – but he didn’t reckon on Jules. Full of wit and spice, she’s more than just a sexy hook-up. But as their chemistry heats up, so does their rivalry. With her heart and her career on the line, Jules isn’t sure she can risk it all again.
She’s been burned before. Will this fling satisfy both of their cravings?
Bella Cruise is a Florida girl turned California beach babe. She loves to travel and explore new places, and currently works as a nanny to two adorable little girls.
Our love is imperfect in the most perfect way. It is love done our way. Raw. Unconventional. Sexy as hell. Most importantly, it is honest to the core, or so I think. One little, white lie shouldn’t do so much damage. Yet, it changes me forever.
The worst part is that Declan whispered that sweet nothing out of protection. My safety is on the forefront of his mind, especially since there are others who’d hurt me simply to get at him. I never think that he would be the one to cut me so deeply. And it all starts with that first prick—the night he saved my life.
His perilous stare deepened as his grip fastened around my waist. The maniacal thoughts passing over his eyes confirmed that I wasn’t the only one who wanted all the space between us eliminated.
I
could hardly breathe when his gaze fell to my lips. It left me speechless. It was the very way a passing glance could leave you without words. But Declan didn’t just take a glimpse. No, he unapologetically looked me over. He
loved
me, but didn’t say them in so many words. Yet, I heard them all the same. I heard them with each moan that echoed in the air. I felt them as he held me gently in his arms. Even if I didn’t feel the desire radiating off of him in a fury of passion, he bore that intensity in his gaze. The world around us melted away until there was on me and
him.
About the series:
About the series “Once Wicked”
@unconventionaldamsels who rock piercings, refuse to conform to society’s rules, and aren’t obsessed with labels, check out the “Once Wicked” Series. Happily Ever After doesn’t dfine the misunderstood evil villains we love to hate, Their story is so much deeper than their fairy princess counterparts, yet were never told. That’s a damn shame. They aren’t alwasy as wicked as they are made out to be. Well, not all of them. So until the clock strikes midnight and the (other) glass shoe drops, enjoy these not-so-Prince-Charming book boyfriends in the modern series, #OnceWicked
Absolutely wicked! Alluring, tantalizing, haunting, twisted, dark…and the list goes on and on! There are not many books that leave me speechless after the prologue, during the story, AND the ending. But wow! Sarah J Pepper did it! So here I sit trying to figure out how to tell you that you HAVE TO READ THIS without giving anything away. Well, there you go. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!
This is the story of Rumplestiltskin (goes by Stilts) who finds his love but only to make her the monster that he is. It’s not the fairytale we grew up with, but so much more. It is set to present day but we encounter many different fairytale characters that have been updated…a bit to say the least. Stilts is a demon and when he turns his love, Piper, into a demon like himself he finds that he is trying to preserve her innocence. He doesn’t want her to regret this decision by turning into a killer. In doing this he puts her into hiding and tells a teeny white lie to spare her the guilt. She is being protectd by Hans and El, brother and sister witches, who are also one of Stilts’ enemies. Naturally they all hate each other but a connection comes about in an unusual way. Not like a friendship but more of an understanding. Piper ultimately finds out about the lie but what happens next is nothing like what you’d expect. The connection that Stilts and Piper have is INTENSE (like the rest of the story). It’s a continual struggle of love and hate, right and wrong. Questionable motives and manipulation opens this story to all types of interpretations. Who is really the villain???
“So the idea of Prince Charming rescuing me from my jacked-up life was hysterical . But that was exactly what had happened; except my Prince Charming was a bad boy with a demonic complexion. Declan Stilts— alias Declan Rumpelstiltskin— was the kind of guy prissy girls had nightmares about.”
“The ugly stepchild of hate was love. That four-letter word had this incredibly unique way of luring a person in, getting them to put their guard down , and striking when they were most vulnerable. Love was what lowered my defenses. Love smacked me with the stupid stick. Love made me weak. Love got me killed. Love turned me into a killer. I didn’t know what love had in store for me, but I didn’t want to find out.”
“F***ing fairy tales were written about do-gooders who had made simplistic, popular choices. Those of us who had made choices at great costs were labeled as villains .”
I have so many quotes that I can keep adding. There is something for everyone in this story. INTENSE, INTENSE, INTENSE! Everyone has their story to tell and this is about Rumplestiltskin and the Pied Piper. Reader beware: The ending will grab your heart and twist it. The cliffhanger is dangerous! Love this new series!!!
“Every fairy tale has a happy ending, but I was no Prince Charming. However, sometimes the bad guys have the greatest romance to tell.” Absolutely true!!!!!!
Amazon US ✦ http://bit.ly/ussoullessoncewicked
Amazon UK ✦ http://bit.ly/uksoullessoncewicked
Amazon CA ✦ http://bit.ly/casoullessoncewicked
Amazon AU ✦ http://bit.ly/ausoullessoncewicked
B&N ✦ http://bit.ly/soullessoncewickedbn
iBooks ✦ http://bit.ly/soullessoncewickedapple
Kobo ✦ http://bit.ly/soullessoncewickedkobo
Sarah J. Pepper specializes in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn’t only filled with hugs, kisses, bunnies, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn’t always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn’t mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit? Get a glimpse inside her head at www.sarahjpepper.com
Even the best intentions can be entangled in darkness.
Tremaine is no stranger to tough decisions. One case took him so deep he nearly lost his way. Saving Liz gave him purpose, pulling him back into the light.
After tragedy, Tremaine helped Liz rebuild her life. Their pieces fell into place with Robert. The three of them have forged an unbreakable bond through heartbreak and reunion.
Robert’s new case threatens to drag Tremaine back to his darkest hours. Every revealed secret pulls them deeper, entwining the three further.
Together they’ll uncover plots set in motion long before Tremaine’s was assigned the case that nearly broke him. The truth will either bind or destroy them all.
Includes: New Beginnings, In Too Deep, Shadows Fall, and Shadows of the Past: http://amzn.to/1MFma1L
– Others of Edenton BOXSET #2
Includes: Fate Love, Falling Into Place, Breaking Free, Mending Scars, and Labor of Love: http://amzn.to/1CX1Q7R
– ABOUT THE AUTHOR –
Brandy L Rivers is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her two main series are Others of Edenton and Others of Seattle. She has also written a couple contemporary stories. An avid reader, Brandy has always loved writing. She became serious about it as a stay-at-home-mother. Her secret lair, guarded by a pint-sized pound puppy who imagines himself a hellhound, contains a file full of manuscripts she plans to edit and put out with new creations she is constantly dreaming up. Living in rainy Western Washington with her husband and three kids, Brandy is already working on future stories in each of the series, and several other projects.
My name is Ace and I’m the Ace of Spades.
I’m not nice and I misbehave.
I will be your nightmare.
I will be your dream.
I will have you begging for more of me with each scream.The truth is in my lyrics.
Uncontrollably controlled.
I bleed many things one being Rock & Roll.
I don’t date or make love, I fuck real hard.
Did you know the ace of spades is considered the death card?
Love doesn’t exist in my world, it never did.
Love won’t exist in my world, it’s something I forbid.
My name is Ace and I’m the ace of spades.
Proceed with caution, because I’m sharp like a blade.
The Band of Brothers novels are full length and will follow each brother in the band.
They can be read together or separately.
Blue and green lights flashed over the stage then washed across the crowd. When we made eye contact again, her tongue traced the outside of her plump bottom lip and at that moment I knew she was DTF. Her being down to fuck made this so much easier but then again, being the lead singer of the Band of Brothers made panties magically melt. I’d be her fantasy for the night. I’m sure there would be many more one night stands considering each show from Florida to New York, all the way to California was sold out.
The drums beat on as I screamed out the next few lyrics. “I won’t let the world decide. I’ll die before that happens.”
The drums stopped and the distortion was cut leaving a melodic strum of Nikolas’s guitar.
The lights faded when walked off stage leaving the crowd screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs. Jex, Nic, and Rex had huge smiles covering their faces as they chugged the water the technicians handed us. This would never get old. Moments like this were the ones we lived and worked for. Once the chanting and clapping rose to the maximum volume, the four of us walked back onstage and gave the fans what they wanted, an encore.
Green and yellow lights flashed over the crowd and smoke hovered at the bottom of the stage. We played three more songs. People sang and swayed to the lyrics and music. Some jumped up and down, feeling the full beat of the drums while others banged their heads. The feeling of having thousands of people chanting my words would never become real. More often than not, I felt like I was in a dream, one that I never wanted to wake from.
During the last song, I pointed to the blonde. By the way she was dressed in a tight pink shirt and a skirt that showed the bottom of her ass cheeks, I knew she wanted to be seen. She could have possibly had this night planned from the beginning. Randomly, I chose a few others from the crowd to join us, to dance in front of our audience, to feel the temporary power. It was something I did every show, every tour. It was a habit of sorts.
Security helped the girls climb on the stage and they lifted their arms and shook their asses. Before the song ended, the technicians led the girls’ side stage as cannons of small fireworks shot from the floor. After the final song, my brothers and played the crowd and threw drumsticks and guitar picks. The yelling didn’t stop for minutes and the audience realized we weren’t coming back out. I walked side stage where girls anxiously waited us. I smiled, popping an eyebrow at my chosen woman for the night, and she instantly came to me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and hers hung on my waist. My brothers stopped in the green room with the other girls, but Blondie and I walked to the bus.
“I’m Lindsey,” she whispered in my ear before we reached the end of the hallway. I smiled at her and pushed open the exit door. Groupies and fans waited near the bus and as soon as we walked up they rushed it.
“I’ll be out in a bit,” I said, smiling at them with pearly whites. “My brothers are coming out that door over there. Really soon.”
I hated to out their exit strategy, but I wanted to take my time burying my dick deep inside Misty or Christy or whatever the fuck her name was. It didn’t matter. Names never did.
Author Bio
Lyra Parish loves to write, glamp, and sing obnoxiously loud at the top of her lungs in the shower. Sweet love stories (along with the dirty ones) make her gush. She is a firm believer that a person can never have too many cups of coffee, cats, or happily ever afters. When she isn’t busy writing, she can be found sipping various beverages from her non-alcoholic drink buffet, pimp slapping excel spreadsheets, or riding her bike. Lyra lives in Texas with her glassblowing, guitar-playing hubby and black cat named Nibbler.
Born with a gift, Melinda Harris can see visions of the future.
Nathan Cole is the man who wants to possess her and her power.
A member of the elite Corde Noire Society, Nathan introduces Melinda to his dark world of pleasure and pain. At first, Melinda likes what Nathan teaches her, but then her visions begin warning her to the terrible secret her handsome Dom is hiding.
Nathan has plans for her beyond his bedtime adventure. He wants her to make her his … completely.
Nathan gently removed a stray strand of hair from her face and placed it behind her ear. As he stared into her green eyes, the images of the two of them came blazing back to life, even more powerful than before.
“You’re doing that on purpose!” she shouted, and slammed her flute down on the bar.
“What?” Nathan seemed astonished by her reaction.
She backed away from him. “You’re thinking those thoughts.”
“What thoughts?”
Melinda searched his eyes while he inched closer.
Nathan’s mouth pressed into a thin line, adding to the tension in the air. “I think I should go. You’ve had a long day. We can talk again tomorrow after you get settled in. We will need to go over my agenda.”
What’s wrong with me?Get a grip.
Running her fingertips over her forehead, she tried to clear her mind. “What agenda?”
Nathan picked up his glass of champagne and downed the contents. “I have meetings scheduled this week and next about that property development we spoke of the other day.” He turned his eyes to her. “There’s a formal cocktail party at the home of a New Orleans socialite next weekend. She’s interested in my plans for that property and wants to talk to me about funding the project. You’re to accompany me to the party and all my meetings, then you can tell me what you feel about these people.” His eyes traveled over her T-shirt and torn jeans. “You’ll need to dress professionally for the meetings, and you’ll need a formal gown for the party. I’ll have Bob take you to Canal Place for some new clothes.”
“I can’t afford new clothes, Nathan.”
He raised his brown eyes to her. “I’ll take care of that, not to worry.”
“You’ve given me this apartment, furniture, a new television. I can’t have you buying me clothes, too.”
“Melinda, you’re my assistant now. I can’t have you escorting me places dressed like that.” He motioned to her clothes. “You need to look the part.”
Melinda wanted to argue with him, but she thought better of it. He wanted to buy her some new outfits, what of it? After all, this is what she had always wanted, to be taken care of.
“Yes, Nathan.” She gave him a weak smile.
“Good girl.” He abruptly headed for the door. “I’ll come by tomorrow evening and we can go over my itinerary in detail. I have a new cell phone coming for you tomorrow, as well as a credit card. Use the card to buy your clothes and anything you may need for your job.”
“A credit card? Are you sure you want to trust me with that?”
Nathan smirked with amusement. “Just make sure you don’t go too crazy. I still have to justify it all to my accountant at the end of the month as a business expense.”
“Is that why you’re telling everyone I’m your assistant?”
He frowned at her. “What do you mean?”
“If you tell people I’m your assistant, even though you already have a secretary, don’t you think that will look funny?”
He squinted his eyes, appearing interested in her reasoning. “Funny, in what way?”
“Perhaps everyone thinks I’m not here as an assistant, but as something else.”
“What else?” he questioned with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.
“You know what else, Nathan.” She turned away, but he held her arm.
“What else, Melinda?”
Melinda gazed into his dark eyes and then she knew. The images she had seen earlier of them together were his. She could feel it as sure as she could feel the warmth of his hand.
Nathan let her go. “I hired you to be my psychic, that’s all. If others read more into the relationship than that, it’s their problem.”
Despite what he told her, Melinda knew Nathan wanted her, but something was holding him back, something she could not see. In her mind’s eye, she searched for an answer, but only foggy images came through.
“I’m very happy you’re here,” he said, and then he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
Melinda almost grabbed for the doorframe to keep from falling to her knees. The unexpected wave of electricity from the caress of his lips was catastrophic.
“Get some rest,” he told her. “We have a big week ahead, and you have your work cut out for you.”
Confused, Melinda watched him make his way back to his penthouse. Perhaps he didn’t send those images to her.
Was it me?
Melinda quickly shut the door and threw her body against it. “Oh, I’m in trouble.”
Right after Melinda spoke the words, a wave of fear enveloped her. She turned to her living room, and as quickly as it had come, the feeling departed. She gazed about the room, reaching out with her mind to whatever entity had called to her, but nothing came.
Shaking it off, Melinda picked up a box and carried it to her bedroom. When she stepped into the hall, the doorway to the storage room was wide open and the light inside was on. Setting the box on the floor, she went to the room and looked around. Nothing appeared to her, and there were no moans or rattling of chains. But as she stood in the stark square room, the hairs on her arms stood up. In her mouth, the acrid taste of dread. Melinda fought her instinct to flee, and instead opened her mind.
“I feel your fear,” she pronounced.
Then a woman’s soft voice whispered in her ear, “Run.”
Melinda’s eyes flew open. She backed out of the room, flipped off the lights, and shut the door. She stood in the hall staring at the handle on the door as her trepidation faded. There was no lock on the door, no way to secure it. She had a sudden urge to make sure this door stayed closed, because what was inside of that room scared her.
From New Orleans, Alexandrea Weis was raised in the motion picture industry and began writing stories at the age of eight. In college she studied nursing and went on to teach at a local university. After several years in the medical field, she decided to pick up the pen once again and began her first novel, To My Senses. Since that time she has published many novels. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning books, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. Her work has been critically acclaimed and has been continually growing in popularity. Alexandrea Weis is also a certified/permitted wildlife rehabber with the La. Wildlife and Fisheries. When she is not writing, she rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She is married; they live in New Orleans.
A sucker for a happy ending, Shelly Bell writes sensual romance often with a bit of kink and action-filled erotic thrillers with high-emotional stakes for her alpha heroes and kick-ass heroines.
