The little hairs on the back of my neck tell me to get away from him. But how? I have to appease him first. Make him believe me.
“Don’t get upset,” I say as sweetly as I can.
“So, why won’t you tell me what he said to you?”
I shrug. My mind goes blank. I need an answer.
“He was just coming on to me. That’s it,” I say, taking Jamie’s arm. I don’t want to touch him, but I force myself to. I want to make nice so he doesn’t follow me home.
“Okay, I’ll give you a ride.”
A taxi pulls up to the curb to wait for guests who might need one. I see my opportunity.
“Actually, I’m just going to take a cab,” I say and open the door and climb in. He tries to get in with me, but I stop him.
“Listen, I had a great time, but I really just want to go home,” I say. “I’m really tired. Besides, your car is here.”
“What the hell did that guy say to you?” Jamie asks. “You can’t believe him. He’s got it out for me.”
That’s the first thing that I’ve heard that actually starts to put the pieces of what happened tonight together. I put my index finger up to the cab driver to give me a second.
“Why?” I ask.
“Because…he knows me. I didn’t want to tell you this since I just met you. But I slept with his girlfriend. So, now he’s out there sabotaging my life.”
I glance up at Jamie, evaluating his facial expression. His eyebrows are raised. His eyes are wide open. He’s either a very good liar or he’s telling the truth.
“Okay,” I say, still undecided.
“Everly, you have to believe me.”
“I do,” I say. “But I’m still tired and I’d like to go home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
I close the door to the cab. I have no idea if I will in fact call him tomorrow, but that’s not something that I have any intention of deciding tonight. I give the driver my address and lean back in the seat.
Suddenly, I start to feel sick to my stomach. My head starts to spin. I only had two drinks. It can’t be from the alcohol, can it? I roll down the window to get some air, but it doesn’t help. A moment later, everything turns to black.
Everly
When I wake up…
When I open my eyes, I’m confronted with the worst headache of my life.
A migraine? Perhaps.
I’ve never had one before. But my head is pounding so hard, I can barely open my eyes. I put my hand up to shield myself from the light streaming through the window.
Through my fingers, I look around the room. Vertical blinds. Beige walls. White wall-to-wall carpet. A large dresser with a mirror on the opposite side of the room. Two framed pictures of tulips in black and white hanging on the wall.
My eyes adjust a bit, but the headache doesn’t subside. I get off the large king-size bed and walk around the room. The carpet feels nice under my bare feet.
I open the dresser.
It’s filled with clothes. Each garment is folded nicely and put away. There are two doors leading from the room.
One is open and I take a step past it. It leads to a large walk-in closet, a spacious bathtub, and a walk-in shower.
On the opposite end of the bathroom are Jack and Jill sinks.
I glance at myself in the mirror.
Wow. What a mess.
I’m wearing the same clothes I wore that night. My prized cocktail dress is wrinkled. There’s a large tear down its side. My hair has crusty old hair spray in it, which makes it stick out in all directions. My makeup is smeared, giving me the eyes of a raccoon.
After washing my face, I open the drawers under the vanity. It’s stocked with everything I could ever need. All the basics are there and then some.
Toilet paper.
Makeup remover.
Shampoo.
Conditioner.
Body wash.
Face moisturizer. Body moisturizer. Hand moisturizer.
Ear cleaners.
A $200 hair dryer.
$150 hair straightener.
Dry shampoo.
Body spray.
Five different kinds of deodorant.
And a large case full of enough makeup to make any Sephora-addict jealous.
“What is this place?” I whisper.
Between the bedroom and the bathroom, there’s a walk-in closet about the size of my bedroom back home. Elegant wooden hangers house dresses, blouses, pants, and jeans. All in my size. Underneath the hanging clothes, I see an array of shoes for all occasions.
Flats.
High heels.
Boots.
Flip-flops.
Again, all are in my size and most are according to my taste.
Where the hell am I?
I run out of the closet and toward the other door. This is the way out. I need to leave this room if I want any answers.
I grab the doorknob. But it doesn’t turn. Not one bit.
It’s locked.
I knock on the door. Then I pound. Why the hell is it locked?
My breath quickens. My chest seizes up. How did I get myself locked away here?
I run over to the window and open the blinds.
Bright green foliage welcomes me from the other side. Lush ferns. Tall palm trees. Elegant pine trees. The sky is the color of the ocean. A few clouds are gathering somewhere in the distance.
Where is this? I press my face against the window for a better look. Then I try to open it.
It looks like a normal window, the kind that slides up, but after a closer examination, I see that it’s far from it.
It’s all a facade.
The knob at the top is nothing but a decoration. The window itself is made of thick impenetrable plexiglass.
I pound on the door again and yell for help. But it’s so thick, my cries just reverberate back into the room.
I start to feel sick to my stomach. Claustrophobia is setting in. I need to get out of here. On the other end of the room, there’s a small writing table and a chair. Without giving it any more thought, I grab the chair and throw it against the window. But instead of shattering it, it just bounces back at me, hitting me in the shoulder.
“Oh my God!” I fall to the floor and whimper.
What is this place? I ask myself over and over again. As my anger mixes with pity and sorrow, tears start to rush down my face.
I have no sense of time here. There’s no clock and there’s no electronics. My only inkling of the fact that time passes at all is that my tears dry and my stomach starts to rumble. I quench some of my hunger with water from the sink. It soothes my dry mouth and clears my head for a moment. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I search my mind for answers.
The last thing I remember is saying goodbye to Jamie. I told him that I wanted to go home and I got into a cab. By myself. Right? Isn’t that what happened?
Yes, I decide. I remember that firmly. Then what happened in the cab? Oh, yes, of course, I started to feel sick. Nauseated. And then…nothing. That’s all. Then I woke up here.
So, does this mean that Easton was right? Is this what he was trying to warn me about?
If so, then why didn’t he just come out and tell me? Why did he have to be so cryptic about everything?
Or what if Easton was the perpetrator? What if this was nothing but a ruse to get me away from Jamie?
Hot tears continue to stream down my face. I don’t know what else to do but to climb into bed and under the covers. I do the only thing I can. Shut out the world in hopes of shutting off my mind.
“Wake up! Wake up!” A loud voice and louder knock startles me from my deep sleep.
Dazed, I stumble as I get out of bed and run toward the door. “Help! Help me!” I pound on the door.
“Get back,” the woman’s voice instructs. “Sit on the edge of the bed.”
Who is she to tell me what to do?
“I am,” I lie.
“I can see you, you stupid girl. Now, do as I say.”
See me!
My heart sinks. I look around the room for cameras.
“You won’t see them,” she says. “But they’re everywhere. Trust me.”
I walk over to the bed and sit down.
A loud unlocking sound startles me. A moment later, the door with an old-fashioned knob, which I tried to open by turning, slides all the way to one side. As it disappears into the wall, I see that it’s about ten inches thick. No wonder I couldn’t open it and my yells for help just echoed around the room.
“Welcome to York.”
Ready for more? Find out what happens to Everly and Easton…One-Click HOUSE OF YORK Now!
Thank you for reading TAKEN! Find out what happens to Everly and Easton in HOUSE OF YORK now….
They think that it’s a game. They think that everything is going to be okay. But I know the truth: we have all lost our freedom long before we ever stepped foot in the House of York. All but one of us will lose our lives.
Kidnapped and imprisoned, I will do anything to escape.
But the only way out is to win the heart of the dark, demanding and powerful man.
I take a deep breath.
It’s my turn to be shown.
Can I win? Or will I lose my life along with my freedom?
One-Click HOUSE OF YORK Now!
Also by Charlotte Byrd
National Bestselling Series
(all books available now!)
Decadent, delicious, & dangerously addictive!
- Amazon Review ★★★★★
* * *
I don’t belong here.
I’m in way over my head. But I have debts to pay.
They call my name. The spotlight is on. The auction starts.
Mr. Black is the highest bidder. He’s dark, rich, and powerful. He likes to play games.
The only rule is there are no rules.
But it’s just one night. What’s the worst that can happen?
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BLACK EDGE Series Reading Order
1. Black Edge
2. Black Rules
3. Black Bounds
4. Black Contract
5. Black Limit
We don’t belong together.
I should have never seen him again after our first night together. But I crave him.
I’m addicted to him. He is my dark pleasure.
Mr. Black is Aiden. Aiden is Mr. Black. Two sides of the same person.
Aiden is kind and sweet. Mr. Black is demanding and rule-oriented.
When he invites me back to his yacht, I can’t say no.
Another auction. Another bid.
I’m supposed to be his. But then everything goes wrong….
1-Click Black Rules Now!
I don’t belong with her.
Born into darkness, life made me a cynic incapable of love.
But then Ellie waltzed in. Innocent, optimistic, kind.
She’s the opposite of what I deserve.
I bought her, but she she stole my heart.
Now my business is going up in flames.
I have only one chance to make it right.
That’s where it happens…something I can never take back.
I don’t cheat on her. There’s no one else.
It’s worse than that. Much worse.
Can we survive this?
1-Click BLACK BOUNDS Now!
They can take everything from me, but they can’t take her.
Mr. Black is coming back. With a vengeance.
“I need you to sign a contract.”
“What kind of contract?”
“A contract that will make you mine.”
This time she’s going to do everything...
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Is this the end of us?
I found a woman I can’t live without.
We’ve been through so much. We’ve had our set backs. But our love is stronger than ever.
We are survivors.
But when they take her from me at the altar, right before she is to become my wife, everything breaks.
I will do anything to free her. I will do anything to make her mine for good.
But is that enough? And what if it's not?
1-Click BLACK LIMIT Now!
Debt Series (can be read in any order)
I owe him a debt. A big one.
A dark and dangerous stranger paid for my mother’s cancer treatment, saving her life.
Now I owe him. But I can’t pay it back with money, not that I even have any.
He wants only one thing: Me.
His for one year.
Will I walk away in one piece?
1-Click DEBT Now!
DEBT
OFFER
UNKNOWN
WEALTH
Praise for Charlotte Byrd
“Decadent, delicious, & dangerously addictive!” - Amazon Review ★★★★★
* * *
“Titillation so masterfully woven, no reader can resist its pull. A MUST-BUY!” - Bobbi Koe, Amazon Review ★★★★★
* * *
“Captivating!” - Crystal Jones, Amazon Review ★★★★★
* * *
"Exciting, intense, sensual” - Rock, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
“Sexy, secretive, pulsating chemistry…” - Mrs. K, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
“Charlotte Byrd is a brilliant writer. I've read loads and I've laughed and cried. She writes a balanced book with brilliant characters. Well done!” -Amazon Review ★★★★★
* * *
“Fast-paced, dark, addictive, and compelling” - Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
“Hot, steamy, and a great storyline.” - Christine Reese ★★★★★
* * *
“My oh my....Charlotte has made me a fan for life.” - JJ, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
"The tension and chemistry is at five alarm level.” - Sharon, Amazon reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
“Hot, sexy, intriguing journey of Elli and Mr. Aiden Black. - Robin Langelier ★★★★★
* * *
“Wow. Just wow. Charlotte Byrd leaves me speechless and humble… It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Once you pick it up, you won't put it down.” - Amazon Review ★★★★★
* * *
“Sexy, steamy and captivating!” - Charmaine, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
“ Intrigue, lust, and great characters...what more could you ask for?!” - Dragonfly Lady ★★★★★
* * *
“An awesome book. Extremely entertaining, captivating and interesting sexy read. I could not put it down.” - Kim F, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
* * *
“Just the absolute best story. Everything I like to read about and more. Such a great story I will read again and again. A keeper!!” - Wendy Ballard ★★★★★
* * *
“It had the perfect amount of twists and turns. I instantaneously bonded with the heroine and of course Mr. Black. YUM. It's sexy, it's sassy, it's steamy. It's everything.” - Khardine Gray, Bestselling Romance Author ★★★★★
About Charlotte Byrd
Charlotte Byrd is the bestselling author of many contemporary romance novels. She lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and a crazy toy Australian Shepherd. She loves books, hot weather and crystal blue waters.
Write her here:
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www.charlotte-byrd.com
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Copyright © 2018 by Charlotte Byrd
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ook may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Taken: A House of York Prologue Page 4
