Pearl (The Pearl Series)

by Arianne Richmonde

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  About this novel

  Praise for The Pearl Trilogy

  Copyright Page

  About the Author

  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

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Connect with the Author

  Pearl

  (Part 1)

  by

  Arianne Richmonde

  visit dpgroup.org for more books

  About this novel.

  Pearl, follows Arianne Richmonde’s bestselling books in The Pearl Trilogy: Shades of Pearl, Shadows of Pearl and Shimmers of Pearl; the tumultuous and heart-rending love story between forty-year-old documentary producer, Pearl Robinson, and French Internet billionaire, Alexandre Chevalier, fifteen years her junior.

  The book that Pearl Series fans have been asking for: the flip side of the tale. The story according to Alexandre Chevalier.

  At only twenty-five, Alexandre Chevalier is a billionaire. His social media site, HookedUp, is more popular than Twitter, more global than Facebook. With his devastatingly handsome looks, alluring charm, and his immense wealth, he has women falling at his feet, desperate for his attention. But his heart is set on only one woman: Pearl Robinson.

  Alexandre’s dark and dysfunctional past makes him crave stability and a normal relationship, but he soon finds out that Pearl is a bird with a broken wing. Why, he isn’t sure.

  Pearl is written from Alexandre’s point of view from the moment he and Pearl first meet on a rainy summer’s day in a coffee shop in New York City.

  In any relationship details are hidden; things are left unsaid. Not all conversations are remembered in the same way.

  And not all actions are disclosed—especially to the one you love most.

  Part 2 of Pearl to be released October 2013.

  Praise for The Pearl Trilogy:

  ‘A heart wrenching love story you won’t forget.’

  —E McDonough

  ‘There is one regret I have about reading this series—that I waited so long to read it.’

  —Nelle L’Amour, bestselling author of Undying Love

  ‘If you like 50 shades of Grey and the Bared to You series, you are ABSOLUTELY going to LOVE The Pearl Trilogy. The books are addictive, heart pounding, suspenseful, sexy, and steamy!!! So if you are jonesing for an erotic read that will keep you on edge, hot and bothered, with an amazing love story. I highly recommend The Pearl Trilogy.’

  —Books, Babes and Cheap Cabernet

  ‘I loved the older woman/younger man dynamic of this book! It’s about time this kind of story was written. A strong older woman and an equally strong young man fall in love and overcome insurmountable odds to be together. The Pearl Trilogy has that and more. The twists and turns in the story only add to the intensity. The attraction between Pearl and Alexandre is palpable and borders on obsession. The love scenes are passionate and raw. The Pearl Trilogy is the complete love story from beginning to sweet end and I enjoyed every single word…’

  —Martini Times

  ‘The best erotica series I have read to date.’

  —Megan Cain Loera

  ‘What an amazing series this was. I recommend you give this one a nice long read. The Pearl Trilogy will knock your socks off. Getting to know Pearl and Alexandre is definitely a must. Arianne Richmonde is a very talented story teller.’

  —Mary Elizabeth’s Crazy Book Obsession

  ‘The Pearl Trilogy is a must read!! OMG! I loved the Fifty Shades and Bared to You series…but this one is a topper!! I laughed and cried – it’s so well written. So many twists and turns and just when you think you know where this story is going….you don’t! Now, if only I could meet a hot Frenchman like Alexandre Chevalier…’

  —A.J Cox.

  ‘All three books flowed wonderfully and had the perfect ending for the wonderful trilogy. If you haven’t read this yet, put it on your Must Read list!! I look forward to more from Arianne Richmonde!!’

  —Sassy and Sultry Books

  ‘I was completely entrenched in this story. The descriptions. The emotions. Between the mystery, the lies, and the hot sex… my head was literally spinning and going to explode.’

  —Love N. Books

  ‘A FREAKING awesome story filled with so much drama…oh, how I loved the drama. It was a big page turner for me and when things got crazy oh how I got sucked in!’

  —Momma’s Books Blog

  ‘We loved the plot and also the secondary characters in The Pearl Trilogy. The author does a wonderful job of developing their stories, too, and we LOVED the journey these books took us on. The storyline is great and the sex scenes do NOT disappoint. Mrs. Richmonde also gives us lush scenery and exotic locales, and there are a LOT of plot twists. Trust us, you will NOT anticipate the twists and turns of this story.’

  —The Book Bellas

  ‘I am a fan of the 50 Shades of Grey series and the Bared to You series. I thought this was better than both of them put together. I found a new author who can’t write fast enough. Arianne Richmonde is a new fave for me.’

  —Amazon Reviewer

  ‘The main attraction here is that Pearl is so true to life. She goes through the same life struggles we all talk about with our own girlfriends. What a change from the twenty year-old virgins in other erotic novels. As for Alexandre, I found him so sexy. Are there any men out there really like him I kept asking myself?’ You’ll love the series, too, if you believe a woman doesn’t have to be in her early twenties to find love and passion.’

  —Shades of Momma

  ‘The twists and turns that happen in this book are amazing – some stuff you just don’t see coming. You have to read this book if you are looking for something that isn’t your typical book!’

  —WhoAreYouCallinABookWhore

  ‘Awesome; full of heart, tears and much laughter. This book flows together and feels so real and true I forgot I was actually reading a story. I love these characters. If you want to read something great, get these books.’

  —Dawn M. Earley

  ‘This book has twists and turns that I never expected. I thought this might be another knock off of Fifty but Oh, no! This book holds it’s own and I loved every word of it!’

  —Samantha Addison

  ‘Wow, this had me on the edge of my seat, or rather, bed. I have loved the whole trilogy of Pearl. I love how this author writes, she made me believe I was watching the whole thing like a film in my head which is just how I like to read my books, watching them play out and imagining the characters.’

  —Confessions of a Bookaholic

  ‘I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I was cheering for team Pearl/Alexandre. This book was HOT and sexy. Ms. Richmonde gave the reader a little of everything. The secondary characters made the drama and suspense of this book.’

  —Wine Relaxation And My Kindle

  ‘This is how a true erotic story should be; great story line, wonderful characters, and some of the HOTTEST sex/love scenes I’ve read. This is where the author’s writing shines. I could really feel the attraction and desire that Pearl and Alexandre had for each other. Their chemistry was amazing and their need for each other leapt off the pages. Arianne Richmonde did a wonderful
job, not with just the story and characters but also with her skillfully crafted descriptive writing. The whole Pearl Trilogy has simply captivated me.’

  —Swept Away by Romance

  ‘At times the trilogy had me laughing so much. I absolutely LOVED how the author’s dialogue pegged how the characters spoke. The Pearl Trilogy is so worth the read…don’t miss out!’

  —Sugar and Spice Book Reviews

  ‘The twists and turns left me in pieces or angry enough to want to throw my kindle. Other times, it was so sweet or incredibly sexy that I didn’t think I’d be able to get enough. I found it very hard to put it down. The Pearl Trilogy is a definite page-turner and absolutely loved the way it ended. I am very much looking forward what Arianne Richmonde releases in the future.’

  —The Book Blog

  ‘I was hooked on this book from the very first page. I had many mouth hanging on the floor moments because I was just so surprised as to what I was reading. I swear you won’t see it coming.’

  —The Book Enthusiast

  All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any form without prior written permission of the publisher, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible maybe liable in law accordingly.

  Arianne Richmonde 2013

  Kindle Edition

  Copyright © Arianne Richmonde, 2013. The right of Arianne Richmonde to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) 2000

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design © by: Arianne Richmonde

  About the Author

  Arianne Richmonde is an American writer and artist who was raised in both the US and Europe. She lives in France with her husband and coterie of animals.

  As well as The Pearl Trilogy series and Pearl she has written an erotic short story, Glass. She is currently working on her next novel, a suspense story.

  If you have not already read The Pearl Trilogy which proceeds this book, click on the links below:

  The Pearl Trilogy bundle (all three books in one e-box set).

  Shades of Pearl

  Shadows of Pearl

  Shimmers of Pearl

  To be advised of upcoming releases, sign up:

  http://ariannerichmonde.com/email-signup

  For more information on the author visit her website:

  www.ariannerichmonde.com

  Dedication

  To every one of my amazing readers who asked for more of Pearl and Alexandre. Thanks for all your love, support and feedback. Pearl would not have been possible without you.

  1

  It was raining in New York City. The sort of rain that felt vaguely tropical because it was summertime and the muggy heat was broken by a glorious downfall. Very welcome, because my sister and I had just given a talk at an I.T. conference and she was feeling hot and bothered really getting on my case.

  "The rain eased the tension".

  Sophie was driving me nuts that day. It wasn’t easy going into business with a sibling, but if it hadn’t been for her shrewd business savvy, I wouldn’t have had the same luck. Sophie inhaled HookedUp. Exhaled HookedUp. Being as obsessed with money as she was, she wouldn’t rest until we’d practically taken over the world. And, as everyone now knows, social media really has taken over the world so she was onto something big. Clever woman.

  Sophie had moved our conference talk forward by an hour because she was in a foul mood—wanted to get it over and done with—get the hell out of there. I, on the other hand, felt bound by some odd sense of duty to share our success story; inspire people to jump into the deep end as we had done. To go for it.

  At the conference, someone in the audience asked me how I would describe myself and I replied: “I’m just a nerd who found programming fascinating. With a keen eye for patterns and codes, I pushed it to the limit and got rich. I’m a lucky geek, that’s all.” People laughed as if what I said was a silly joke. But I meant it.

  I’m still not used to being a billionaire. Even now, if I ever see an article written about the power of social media and HookedUp, it’s as if I’m taking a glimpse into someone else’s life; a driven, ambitious, ‘ruthless businessman’ (as I’ve often been described), when I’m still just a guy who likes surfing, rock climbing and hanging out with his family and dogs. Just an ordinary man. Others don’t perceive me that way—at all. I suppose I should be flattered by their attention, although I’m a private man and hate the limelight.

  I took a chance, worked hard, and got lucky. A Frenchman living the American Dream.

  That’s what I love about American culture. Everybody gets a shot if you get off your ass and have the will to succeed. Not so in France. It’s hard to break away from the mold; people don’t like to see others rise above their station. Maybe I’m being hard on my country, judgmental, but all I know is if I’d stayed there, HookedUp wouldn’t be the mega-power it is today. Not even close. The USA has given us all we have and I’m grateful, even though having this much money still feels sinful at my age. Or any age, for that matter.

  Funny how Fate pans out; you never know what life has in store for you.

  I nearly didn’t go into the coffee shop that day. Sophie needed a shot of caffeine and I really wasn’t in the mood to argue, so we dashed in from the rain and stood in line.

  Our conversation had been heated, to say the least. We’d been discussing the HookedUp meeting we had scheduled in Mumbai in a couple of weeks time. It was a mega-deal that she’d been feverishly working on all year. I didn’t think HookedUp could get any more global and powerful than it already was, but I was wrong. That deal was going to make us silly money. Really silly money. I knew I was going to be able to buy that Austin Healey I had my eye on. Hell, I could have bought a fleet of them. Aircrafts too. Whatever I wanted.

  Sophie took out her Smartphone from her Chanel purse and said in French—her voice low so that nobody would overhear, “Look, Alexandre, this is the guy we’re meeting in Mumbai.” She scrolled down to a photo of a portly man with a handlebar mustache. “This is the son of a bitch who’s squeezing us for every dime. He’s our enemy. He’s the one we need to watch.”

  “But I thought you said he’s the one we’re signing with—”

  “He is,” she interrupted. “Keep your enemies close.” She brushed her dark hair away from her face and narrowed her eyes with suspicion—a habit I had myself. I remember thinking how elegant and beautiful she looked; yet in ‘predator mood,’ she was also formidable. I was glad to have her on my side.

  Half listening to my sister gabble on about the Mumbai deal, I noticed a woman rush through the door—a whirlwind of an entrance. She was flustered, her blonde hair damp from the summer rain, her white T-shirt also damp, clinging to her body, revealing a glimpse of perfectly shaped breasts through a thin bra. I shouldn’t have noticed these sorts of things, but being your average guy, I did. She was battling with an enormous handbag—what was it with women and those giant handbags? What did they carry in those things—bricks?

  “Arrête!” Sophie snapped and proceeded for the next couple of minutes to berate me for not paying attention. She was rolling her eyes and puffing out air disapprovingly. Ignoring her, I wondered, again, why I had gone into business with her because she was really bugging me. She added, “If you want to fuck that girl you’re staring at, you can you know—American women put out on the first date.”

  I hated it when my sister talked like that to me—it made me cringe—e
specially her sweeping generalizations about other countries and civilizations.

  “She doesn’t strike me as that type,” I mumbled back in French. The pretty lady was now closer and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She had her head cocked sideways and was staring at the coffee menu, chewing her lower lip in concentration. She was beautiful, like a modern version of Grace Kelly—she looked about thirty or so.

  My eyes raked down her perfectly formed body. She was dressed in a tight, gray skirt which accentuated her peachy butt. The slit on the pleat revealed a pair of elegant calves, but her chic outfit was marred by sneakers. Somehow, it made her all the more attractive as if she didn’t give a damn. As my gaze trailed back up to her breasts, I saw that she was wearing an InterWorld button. Good, I thought, we have something in common—I can chat her up.

  I cleared my throat and moved a step closer. “So how did you enjoy the conference?”

  She jumped back in surprise; her eyes fixed on my chest. I felt as if I was towering above her, although she was a good five foot six. I looked a mess—T-shirt and old jeans with holes in the knee. So far, she was not responding. I knew that New Yorkers could be just as rude as Parisians so I wasn’t fazed.

  She flicked her gaze at me but said nothing. I was right—she hadn’t answered my question, just continued to look at me; stunned, as if she really didn’t want to have a conversation at all.

  I smiled at her. I felt like a jerk, but dug myself in deeper. “Your name tag,” I said. “Were you at that conference around the corner?” I decided that she obviously thought I was a total jackass as her response was clipped, terse.

  “Yes I was,” is all she said and then cast a glance at Sophie.

  I realized that this woman—her nametag said Pearl Robinson—must have assumed that Sophie was my girlfriend—the perils of hanging out with my beautiful sister. Or maybe Pearl Robinson wasn’t smiling simply because she wanted me to shut the hell up and leave her alone.