Ruthless Surrender

by Zoe Blake

  Chloe let out the breath she had been holding. Twisting her hands in her lap, she hesitantly asked him a question that had been bothering her. “When we checked into the hotel, how come I saw a ‘J’ on your credit card?”

  Logan smiled. “I knew I couldn’t get anything past you. The ‘J’ stands for Joseph, my first name. I go by my middle name, Logan.”

  “Oh!”

  Chloe was relieved. She knew in time she would ask him more questions about his past, about what he did for living, but not now. Now, in this moment, the past didn’t exist. Only the future, their future, mattered.

  Although there was just one more thing she needed to know before they could truly move forward.

  After swallowing another savory bite of the warm soup, she said, “May I ask another question?”

  “Babygirl, I want no more secrets between us. You may ask me anything you want.” His voice was filled with warm, honest affection.

  Bolstered by his encouraging tone, she asked, “What is your last name?”

  Logan threw his head back with laughter as he hugged her close.

  “It’s not funny! Do you realize I have no idea who you really are, what your name is?” she complained as she lightly slapped his hard chest.

  “You know my name and who I am,” he said as he cupped her jaw, staring at her intently with those brilliant blue eyes that always drew her in.

  At her questioning look he said, “I’m yours.”

  Epilogue

  Logan rolled down the worn cobblestone street. Throwing the kickstand on his Harley Roadster, he took off his helmet and tossed it on the seat. Reaching into his saddlebags, he pulled out a crumpled brown paper bag. Surveying the quiet side street, he took in the cafe to the left of him and the travel bookstore to the right. Ignoring both businesses, he headed straight for the small shop in the center.

  His target.

  A melodic tinkling chime announced his presence as he walked through the door. The interior was in shadows, emphasizing the pin-point lighting on the various expensive objects displayed in glass cases.

  The already hushed atmosphere grew silent at his intimidating approach.

  The staff exchanged worried looks.

  Disregarding them, he headed straight for the backroom. No one tried to stop him.

  Moments before entering he could hear the crumpling of paper and the slam of a drawer on the other side of the office door. Logan smiled. He always found what he sought. It was pointless to try to hide any secrets from him. Grasping the brass knob, he swung the door open wide.

  “Hello, husband! What brings you by?” asked Chloe in a high-pitched tone.

  She was sitting primly behind her desk. With him as an investment partner, she had been able to realize her dream of opening a jewelry shop. The Dirty Diamond was a huge success and very popular among the tourists as well as the locals. They were even in the process of expanding the business by creating an online web shop which would feature her own as well as other local artists’ jewelry and high-end crafts.

  Logan took in her false, innocent look. He always knew when his babygirl was lying. “You forgot the lunch I made you,” he said in a light tone, matching her own.

  With that, he tossed the brown paper bag onto her desk.

  “You’re right! I did. How silly of me!” Chloe grimaced as she looked down at the sorry-looking bag sitting on top of her balance sheet. “You really shouldn’t have. I know how busy you are.”

  Logan walked around the desk and sat on the edge, enjoying the anxious look she cast toward the drawer to the left of his thigh.

  “Well, I couldn’t let my baby go hungry,” teased Logan as he tapped the tip of her nose, relishing in her girlish nervousness.

  Chloe let out a nervous laugh. “I was getting hungry!”

  “Really?” asked Logan as he uncrossed his arms. “You sure this cheeseburger and fries weren’t filling you up?”

  He flicked open the drawer and exposed her dirty secret. A double cheese Black Angus burger with extra pickles and fries slathered with ketchup laid nestled within their greasy paper-wrapping.

  Logan trying to get Chloe to eat healthy, and Chloe sneaking junk food despite his strict orders, was a common game they played which often led to some creative punishments. It had been two years since he’d moved to Montreal to be with her and close to one year since they’d married. She continued to entertain and excite him. Life was never boring with Chloe around. Never in his life had he meant anything more than when he’d promised to love and protect her. She was his life. His love. His adorable babygirl.

  “Who told on me?” Chloe pouted, then stood up and leaned over her desk to call through the open door, “Marianne, you rat!”

  Her friend and shop manager poked her head into the office. Wagging her finger, she said, “Non! Ne me regarde pas! You don’t have to be married to James Bond to know you have been eating junk food in here! The whole office smells like salt and meat!”

  Chloe stuck her tongue out at Marianne, who returned the gesture before laughing and closing the door.

  “How many times do you have to tell her I am not a spy?” chuckled Logan.

  “It is no use. She won’t listen. She loves the romantic idea behind you being an international man of mystery spy, and nothing I say will dissuade her,” said Chloe with a shrug of her shoulders.

  “Aren’t you going to see what I brought you?” Logan gave her a wink as he pointedly removed the burger and fries from her drawer and threw them in the trash.

  Chloe cast a forlorn look at her discarded lunch. “It is downright un-American to throw away a perfectly good burger,” she grumbled.

  “Good thing we are in Canada,” he fired back with a laugh.

  Casting a stubborn pout his way, she unrolled the top of the paper bag and peeked inside. Lying between a ham and cheese on whole wheat sandwich and a Ziploc bag of carrot and celery sticks was a pair of handcuffs.

  Chloe’s cheeks blushed as she quickly closed the bag, placing both hands on top for good measure.

  “Don’t you like your lunch?” Logan pasted on an innocent look as he pried the bag from under her fingers. “Let’s see. We have a ham sandwich, and some carrots and celery sticks.” He pulled each item out of the bag and placed it before her. Chloe raised wide eyes to him as he pulled the handcuffs out of the bag next and dangled them before her. “And handcuffs. What do these mean, baby?”

  “That I was a bad girl,” responded Chloe, trying and failing to hide a slight smile.

  His bad girl had a habit of trying to cover her bottom when he used his belt on her. To solve the problem, he had taken to handcuffing her whenever she received that particular punishment, something they both enjoyed.

  “What do you say?”

  “Sorry.”

  “And what am I going to do about it?” Logan raised an eyebrow as he spread his legs open. The hard outline of his cock was clearly visible as it rested against his inner thigh.

  Chloe rose and stepped between his knees. Running her hands up the top of each thigh, she purred into his ear, “You’re going to punish me with your big…heavy…belt!” she finished as she brushed her fingertips along his shaft before grasping his belt buckle.

  With a growl, Logan notched a shoulder into her stomach and lifted her high. Ignoring her playful shrieks, he strolled out of the office. “Chloe is taking the rest of the day off, Marianne. Hold down the fort.”

  “Uh huh,” responded Marianne, both her and the employee she was instructing barely looking up. They were accustomed to the playful antics of the owners.

  Emerging outside, Logan placed Chloe on the back of his motorcycle and handed her her pink helmet.

  “Where are we going?” she asked as she buckled the bedazzled strap under her chin.

  Logan leaned in to give her lips a hard kiss. “I’m taking you home.”

  * * *

  The end.

  About Zoe Blake

  USA TODAY Bestselling Author in
Dark Romance

  She delights in writing Dark Romance books filled with overly-possessive Billionaires, Taboo scenes and Unexpected twists. ​She usually spends her ill-gotten gains on martinis, travel and red lipstick. Since she can barely boil water, she’s lucky enough to be married to a sexy Chef.

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  Check out Zoe’s website here!

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  Also by Zoe Blake

  SWEET SAVAGERY DUET

  A Dark Mafia Romance

  * * *

  Sweet Cruelty

  It was an innocent mistake.

  She knocked on the wrong door.

  Mine.

  If I were a better man, I would've just let her go.

  But I'm not.

  I'm a cruel bastard.

  I ruthlessly claimed her virtue for my own.

  It should have been enough.

  But it wasn't.

  I needed more.

  Craved it.

  She became my obsession.

  Her sweetness and purity taunted my dark soul.

  The need to possess her nearly drove me mad.

  A Russian arms dealer had no business pursuing a naive librarian student.

  She didn't belong in my world.

  I would bring her only pain.

  But it was too late…

  She was mine and I was keeping her.

  * * *

  Sweet Depravity

  The moment she opened those gorgeous red lips to tell me no, she was mine.

  I was a powerful Russian arms dealer and she was an innocent schoolteacher.

  If she had a choice, she’d run as far away from me as possible.

  Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t giving her one.

  I wasn’t just going to take her; I was going to take over her entire world.

  Where she lived.

  What she ate.

  Where she worked.

  All would be under my control.

  Call it obsession.

  Call it depravity.

  I don’t give a damn… as long as you call her mine.

  * * *

  IVANOV CRIME FAMILY TRILOGY

  A Dark Mafia Romance

  * * *

  Savage Vow

  I took her innocence as payment.

  She was far too young and naïve to be betrothed to a monster like me.

  I would bring only pain and darkness into her sheltered world.

  That’s why she ran.

  I should’ve just let her go…

  She never asked to marry into a powerful Russian mafia family.

  None of this was her choice.

  Unfortunately for her, I don’t care.

  I own her… and after three years of searching… I’ve found her.

  My runaway bride was about to learn disobedience has consequences… punishing ones.

  Having her in my arms and under my control had become an obsession.

  Nothing was going to keep me from claiming her before the eyes of God and man.

  She’s finally mine… and I’m never letting her go.

  * * *

  Vicious Oath

  When I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed.

  She’s too smart for her own good, and it’s going to get her killed.

  Against my better judgement, I put her under the protection of my powerful Russian mafia family.

  So imagine my anger when the little minx ran.

  For three long years I’ve been on her trail, always one step behind.

  Finding and claiming her had become an obsession.

  It was getting harder to rein in my driving need to possess her… to own her.

  But now the chase is over.

  I’ve found her.

  Soon she will be mine.

  And I plan to make it official, even if I have to drag her kicking and screaming to the altar.

  This time… there will be no escape from me.

  * * *

  Betrayed Honor

  Her innocence was going to get her killed.

  That was if I didn't get to her first.

  She's the protected little sister of the powerful Ivanov Russian mafia family - the very definition of forbidden.

  It’s always been my job, as their Head of Security, to watch over her but never to touch.

  That ends today.

  She disobeyed me and put herself in danger.

  It was time to take her in hand.

  I’m the only one who can save her and I will fight anyone who tries to stop me, including her brothers.

  Honor and loyalty be damned.

  She’s mine now.

  * * *

  DARK OBSESSION TRILOGY

  A Dark Romantic Suspense

  * * *

  Ward

  It should have been a fairytale...

  A Billionaire Duke sweeps a poor American actress off her feet to a romantic,

  isolated English estate.

  A grand love affair... except this wasn't love.

  It was obsession.

  He had it all planned from the beginning, before I even knew he existed. He chose me.

  I'm his unwilling captive, forced to play his sadistic game.

  He is playing with my mind as well as my body.

  Trying to convince me it is 1895, and I'm his obedient ward, subject to his rules and discipline.

  Everywhere I look it is the Victorian era.

  He says that my memories of a modern life are delusions

  which need to be driven from my mind through punishment.

  If I don't submit, he will send me back to the asylum.

  I know it's not true... any of it... at least I think it's not.

  The lines between reality and this nightmare are starting to blur.

  If I don't escape now, I will be lost in his world forever.

  It should have been a fairytale...

  * * *

  Gilded Cage

  He's controlling, manipulative, dangerous... and I'm in love with him.

  Rich and powerful, Richard is used to getting whatever he wants... and he wants me.

  This isn't a romance. It's a dark and twisted obsession.

  A game of ever-increasingly depraved acts.

  Every time I fight it, he just pulls me deeper into his deception.

  The slightest disobedience to his rules brings swift punishment.

  My life as I knew it is gone. He now controls everything.

  I'm caught in his web, the harder I struggle, the more entangled I become.

  I no longer know my own mind.

  He owns my body, making me crave his painful touch.

  But the worst deception of all? He's made me love him.

  If I don't break free soon, there will be no escape for me.

  * * *

  Toxic

  In every story there is a hero and a villain… I’m both.

  I will corrupt her beautiful innocence till her soul is as dark and twisted as my own.

  With every caress, every taboo touch, I will captivate and ensnare her.

  She’s mine and no one is going to take her from me.

  No matter how many times my little bird tries to escape, I will always give chase and bring her back to where she belongs, in my arms.

  Each time she defies me, the consequences become more deadly.

  I may not be the hero she wanted, but I’m the man she needs.

  * * *

  SURRENDER SERIES

  An Enemies to Lovers Romance

  * * *

  Ruthless Surrender

  I know her darkest secret and am just ruthless enough to use i
t against her.

  Whether she likes it or not, I’m the only one who can help her, but I do nothing for free.

  My price is her complete surrender.

  She can hate me all she wants, as long as she pays with her body.

  And if she tries to run?

  That will just cost her more.

  * * *

  Rebellious Surrender

  First, she tried to kill me.

  Then she ran.

  Hunting her down will be my pleasure and her pain.

  Nobody defies me and gets away with it, especially not her.

  My pretty captive is about to learn her rebelliousness has consequences.

  I’ll settle for nothing less than her complete surrender.

  * * *

  Reckless Surrender

  Her first mistake was lying to me.

  Did she actually think I would let her get away with this deception?

  I was going to make her pay for every lie that slipped from those gorgeous lips.

  She may think this is just a game of teacher and naughty schoolgirl, but I have a surprise for her.

  I only play games I can win, and my prize will be her complete surrender.

  * * *

  For a list of All of Zoe Blake’s Books Visit her Website!

  www.zblakebooks.com

  VIP Tip: There are several bonus books listed on her website!