by Anna Zaires, Pepper Winters, Skye Warren, Lynda Chance, Pam Godwin, Amber Lin
“Marina told me.”
I noticed then that he wasn’t touching me. He wasn’t holding my hand or stroking my cheek. His fingers were laced together between his legs.
“Thank you. The warning about the DA is very helpful. We were clearing out anyway. Paulie’s gone.”
“Why?”
“Why? He put you in a terrible position. We, ah…” He looked at his hands. My vision had cleared enough to see the red scratches on his fists. “We fought. He set the shop on fire. I don’t know who he will align with, if anyone. But not me.” He stood. The ceiling wasn’t much higher than his head.
“Antonio,” I said, “where are you going?”
“I have a war to prepare for. Otto will make sure you get home safely.” He walked toward the door like a doctor satisfied the patient would live.
“No,” I said, suddenly lucid. “Don’t. Please.”
“Nothing’s changed, Theresa.”
“That’s right.” I swung my feet around, and they found the floor. I was sitting on a wooden bench. “Nothing has changed. You feel the same. Deny it. Deny you love me.”
“I don’t love you.”
“You’re lying.”
“Contessa—”
“Don’t call me that until you admit how you feel.”
He closed the door, shutting out the sounds of the men. “What difference would it make? I won’t destroy you. If I take you in, you’ll be miserable. You’ll spend your life never knowing who I am or what I do. You’ll have to accept that I may go to jail for years, and you can’t leave me, even then. It won’t be tolerated. But even me in jail is the better scenario.”
“And the worse one?”
“You learn to tolerate me.” He put his hand on the doorknob.
I knew that if he went into the other room, only Otto would come back. It would be the last I’d see of him. So I jumped up and stood in front of the door. The world swam. I tried to lean on the wall, but my stomach turned over, and I was sure I would fall.
Antonio’s arms went around me, holding me up. My senses came back, and I pushed him away.
“Admit you love me.” I touched his face, feeling the stubble on his cheek and the exhaustion emanating from him. I wanted to make it all go away, to give him peace.
“It wouldn’t make any difference,” he said.
“Admit it.”
“I loved you the second I put my eyes on you. It doesn’t matter.”
“Let me love you back.”
“You have a life to live.”
“I have nothing.” I stroked his lip, and his hands remained at his sides. “I’ve danced enough. I’ve seen movies. I’ve been in every pool in Malibu. I’ve travelled. I’ve dated. Worked on a political campaign. Met stars. Had a job. I’ve done all that. What I’ve never done is love a man like you.”
He turned, ever so slightly, and kissed my palm, letting his eyes close. “What if you die from loving me?”
“What if I die from not loving you?”
He kissed my cheek, and I melted into him. I thought I’d never feel those lips again, and when I did, I groaned.
“Please,” I whispered. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“You’re going to get hurt.”
“Hurt me, then. I’d rather get hurt than live a lie.”
He put his forehead to mine and wove his hands behind my neck. It increased the pain in my head, but I fell into it, wanting his pain as much as I wanted his pleasure.
“Contessa, you make me crazy.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know where you’ll fit in with me. I don’t know your place.”
“My place is beside you.”
He leaned back, and I felt the loss of his touch deeply. I needed more. But he put his hand behind his collar and took off his medal of St. Christopher.
He pressed it into my palm, one hand over mine, one under. He looked into my face as if watching a storm gather. The metal was hard on my skin and warm from being close to him.
“Are you sure you want to never feel safe?” he asked. “Are you sure you want to always look behind you? Are you sure you want a life without people you trust?”
“If you’re with me, yes.”
“Are you sure you can love a man who’s damned?”
“Only you. Damned or saved, I want only you.”
“I have a problem, my Contessa. It’s been eating me alive since I kissed you. I want you, and I don’t know how to have you. I want you beside me. I want my world and your world to be one. To see you laugh in the morning. To see you weep my name at night. I am not ever afraid, but with you, I am. I’m afraid I won’t have you, and I’m afraid I will.”
He turned my hand over until my palm was facing downward, clutching the medal. He leaned down and kissed it, fingers, knuckles, wrist, and looked up at me. His eyes were felony black, lips built for declarations of love, jaw set to break barriers.
“I can’t let you go,” he said. “I want to be that man who can make you breakfast and raise children without always looking behind his back. I am going to make myself worthy. I am going to get out so I can’t hurt you. But I can’t just walk away from what I do, and I can’t turn away from you. God help me, every time I walk away from you, I only see hell in front of me.”
I put my hands on his face, letting the chain slip over my thumb and dangle. “Don’t walk away from me. It kills me when you do.”
“This life, it’s impossible to pay every debt and go straight.”
“Pay what you can.”
He took the chain and opened it. I leaned into him so he could put it around my neck and fasten it.
I laid my head on his shoulder and pulled back. “Ow. My ear.”
He turned my head to get a good look. “It’s barely a scratch.” He kissed my neck, moving the chain to put his tongue on the skin where my neck and shoulder met.
“I have a headache,” I said, pushing his ass forward until I felt his erection at my hip.
“I’ll fuck you gently. You’ll come long and slow. Your head will forget its ache when you shed tears.” He reached under my skirt from behind.
I groaned.
“Shh,” he said. “My men are on the other side of this door.” He pushed me back onto the bench and spread my legs. “Amore Mio.”
He kissed inside my thighs, moving my panties aside to lick so slowly I almost came with anticipation. I grabbed his hair, but he wouldn’t suck. He only used the tip of his tongue on my clit.
“Antonio,” I whispered. The hard bench bit my back and the room was rough hewn from the earth, yet I’d never felt so comfortable, at home, safe. “Always be my Capo.”
He slid my underpants off and planted himself between my legs, his dick out and ready for me.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Fuck me,” I said with conviction. “Fuck me now.”
He put one of my legs over his shoulder, opening me for him. He moved my body like a precious thing, then he slid his dick into me. I was so wet, he got the whole length of him in with one try.
“Come vuoi tu, Contessa.” He moved out then in again, every inch a breath of intention to keep me safe, to keep me pure. But most importantly, I felt his intention to keep me. His voice dropped, and his words sounded more like prayer than surrender. “Come vuoi tu.”
Fine, per adesso.
Book Two, RUIN is available now!
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* * *
Have you read the Submission Series?
No?
Gracio
us me. Because Theresa’s brother, Jonathan has this whole thing happening with Monica, that singer with the short-circuiting mouth, and it’s all kinds of epic length.
Reading order below:
The Submission Series has 7 books
1) Beg
2) Tease
3) Submit
4) Control
5) Burn
6) Resist
7) Sing
7) Sing
You can also buy the bundled versions
1) Beg/Tease/Submit
2) Control/Burn/Resist
3) Sing + bonus material
Fiona Drazen’s life as a celebutante and submissive slave in The Perdition Series starts with Kick. Go check it out. It’s a serial, so expect short books, every few months, as other projects allow.
Thanks to my team, the Canaries, Team Drazen, all my goddesses and kings for making 2013 my most creative and rewarding. Kaylee, Jean, Lisa, Tony, Diana, Eva, Christy. I’m a slobbering idiot without you.
Gabri Canova helped with the Italian phrasing in the story. Thank you, Goddess.
Erik Gevers did the formatting, yet again making me look like a pro.
My family tolerates me, and I love them so much. D-Sleepy, A-Bomb, Lady Nono.
Thank You!
Thank you for reading TAKE ME. We hope you enjoyed the ride! Please consider following the authors to find out more about their books…
Anna Zaires – Twist Me
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Dima Zales – Twist Me
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Pepper Winters – Destroyed
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter
Skye Warren – Trust in Me
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Lynda Chance – Marco’s Redemption
Website | Facebook
Pam Godwin – Deliver
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Amber Lin – Three Nights with a Rock Star
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Shari Slade – Three Nights with a Rock Star
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter
Jenika Snow – A Beautiful Prison
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Shay Savage – Otherwise Alone, Otherwise Occupied
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Kendall Ryan – Unravel Me
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Gemma James – Torrent
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CD Reiss – Spin
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Box Set Contents
Twist Me
Copyright Page
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sneak Peeks
Excerpt from Keep Me
About Anna Zaires
Destroyed
Copyright Page
Epigraph
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
About Pepper Winters
Acknowledgements
Also by Pepper Winters
Trust in Me
Author’s Foreword
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
Thank you!
About Don’t Let Go
Excerpt from Don’t Let Go
Other Books by Skye Warren
About the Author
Marco’s Redemption
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
Connect with Lynda Chance
Excerpt from The House of Rule
Other Works by Linda Chance
Deliver
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
About Pam Godwin
Also by Pam Godwin
Three Nights with a Rock Star
Copyright Page
Epigraph
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
Thank you!
About One Kiss with a Rock Star
Excerpt from One Kiss with a Rock Star
Want a backstage pass?
Playlist
Also by Amber Lin
Other books by Shari Slade
About the Authors
Acknowledgements
A Beautiful Prison
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Otherwise Alone
Copyright Page
Dedication
Preface
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Otherwise Occupied
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Otherwise Unharmed Preview
More Books by Shay Savage
About the Author
Unravel Me
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
About Kendall Ryan
Visit Kendall Ryan
Torrent
Copyright Page
Note to Readers
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
