by Alta Hensley
“Did you have feelings for me? Not part of the game. Not part of the Tasting ?”
He nodded and swallowed hard. It was the first time I’d seen Harley Crow look vulnerable. “Yes. Feelings that scared me. I was afraid. When you should have feared me, I was the coward who actually feared you. Feared what you were doing to me .”
“I never feared you,” I admitted. “A lot of people did at Spiked Roses , and I’m sure you knew that. But I never did. Not for a minute. I knew my life wasn’t ever going to be in danger with you. It wasn’t even a possibility in my world. Yes, you were known for being a crazy assassin, but I knew my life would always be safe in your hands. I have no idea why I felt that way, but I did.” I paused to take a sip of wine as Harley sat so close to me that I could almost feel the warmth of his breath. “But I was wrong. You did kill me. You murdered me, slaughtered me, and left me for dead. You made me believe that I could change a monster, and when the reality hit with how very wrong I was in believing I had that power, you, Harley Crow, assassinated my heart .”
He placed his vodka glass on the table and then did the same with my wine glass. Leaning in to where he was mere inches from my face, his lips so close to mine that I could feel the small puffs of air escaping through his parted mouth, he kissed me softly .
He broke the kiss before I could process whether I liked the action or not. “You are right. You can’t change the monster .”
My heart fell with the realization that he too believed I was correct. So, what did that awful truth mean for us? I couldn’t continue on with a monster who couldn’t be changed .
“But like I said before,” he said, cutting through my dismal thoughts, “you destroyed me. You killed that monster. I don’t need to change, because you butchered him into a million pieces with how you make me feel as I watch you. I want more. I want to step out from the darkness as long as you are on the other side .”
Without asking permission, though I didn’t expect Harley to do so, he leaned in again to kiss me—harder this time and with more passion than I thought possible. Taking hold of the back of my head, he pulled me closer so our kiss grew deeper. His tongue possessed my mouth, rubbing against my own. I inhaled deeply only to have his breath merge with mine, invading my entire being. As if my body knew exactly what to do, even though my mind still spun with a barrage of feelings both good and bad, I wrapped my arms around his neck and allowed this man to kiss away all the darkness. Over and over our lips pressed, pulled away, and pressed again. And with every second his mouth was against mine, the shadows inched away .
“You battle those demons another way.” I could hear Tennessee saying to me before I left Spiked Roses to go heal with Harley .
This was my way of winning the war that waged inside of me. For the first time in my life, I finally had someone strong enough to battle the demons by my side. I didn’t want to do it alone .
I wanted Harley—needed Harley—to murder my past. And in return, I would slaughter his demons without mercy .
Evil was in his bones, but passion lived in his heart .
He was still an assassin. A killer. A ruthless man. Harley Crow .
But in this story, I didn’t want the hero. I wanted the villain. No hero was strong enough to rescue this heroine in distress. Not in this story .
This story had to end in only one way …
Happily ever after, with the villain in the end .
The End
* * *
I really hope you enjoyed Harley and Marlowe. And don’t be sad to see them go, because they will be around in book three .
Scoundrels & Scotch is next. The release date is January 16th. It is then, that you will get to meet Victor Drayton & his dolls !
~Alta Hensley
* * *
Scoundrels & Scotch
* * *
I’ll stop at nothing to own her .
I’m a collector of dolls .
All kinds of dolls .
So beautiful and sexy, they become my art .
So perfect and flawless, my art galleries are flooded by the wealthy to gaze upon my possessions with envy .
So fragile and delicate, I keep them tucked away for safety .
The dark and torrid tales of Drayton’s Dolls run rampant through the rich and famous, and all but a few are true .
Normally I share my dolls for others to play with or watch on display .
But not my special doll .
No, not her .
Ivy is the most precious doll of all .
She’s mine. All mine .
*Scoundrels & Scotch is a dark billionaire romance. If you don’t like a splash of shock, a dash of taboo, and a heavy dose of sex, then don’t take a sip of this TOP SHELF cocktail .
BRIDE TO KEEP
Writing with Maggie Ryan
D o you take this man? To honor and obey from this day forth …
With one proposition, from a man she just met, Monet McKnight says I do—to a marriage of convenience from days long gone .
Becoming a modern day mail order bride surrounded by traditional values, old-fashioned beliefs, and a husband who dominates both body and mind wasn't her first choice, but it's her only one .
With this ring ...she becomes his bride to keep .
Coming February 20 , 2017
About the Author
A lta Hensley is a USA TODAY bestselling author of hot, dark and dirty romance. She is also an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author. Being a multi-published author in the romance genre, Alta is known for her dark, gritty alpha heroes, sometimes sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission .
For more information on where to find Alta :
www.altahensley.com
[email protected]
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Also by Alta Hensley
B astards & Whiskey
I sit amongst the Presidents, Royalty, the Captains of Industry, and the wealthiest fucks in the world .
We own Spiked Roses—an exclusive, membership only establishment in New Orleans where money or lineage is the only way in. It is for the gentlemen who own everything and never hear the word no .
Sipping on whiskey, smoking cigars, and conducting multi-million dollar deals in our own personal playground of indulgence, there isn’t anything I can’t have… and that includes HER. I can also have HER if I want .
And I want .
*BASTARDS & WHISKEY is a dark billionaire romance. If you don’t like a sprinkle of shock, a dash of taboo, and a heavy dose of sex, then don’t take a sip of this TOP SHELF cocktail .
C aptive Vow
I take you .
To honor and obey .
Till death do us part .
This is my solemn vow .
I am caught in the madness of a deep obsession. Stolen away to become his perfect and dutiful wife .
Trapped in a twisted and dark courtship. Forced and trained in the wifely duties of an obedient bride .
I am his .
Captive ever after …
***Captive Vow is a dark romantic thriller. If you don’t like a sprinkle of shock, a dash of taboo, and a heavy dose of sex, then don’t take a sip of my cocktail .
His Caged Kitty
Here kitty, kitty …
His voice .
His command .
I became weak .
He became my Master the day he saved me and stole me away. I was his pet. His property .
A caged kitty so I would not run away .
In a dark and futuristic world, where civilization has to start over, I have no other options. I must submit to a new way of life .
But if the cage unlocks, will I truly
be free of my captor? Or will something far greater keep me contained ?
** His Caged Kitty is a novella that is very dark, very taboo, and very dirty. There is graphic sex, and strong BDSM elements. This is not for the faint of heart reader wanting champagne and roses. The only roses in this book are covered in thorns. But with dark comes light, and there will be a happily ever after .
Bad, Bad , Girl
How can it be wrong when it feels so, so right ?
What happens when you are a very bad, bad girl ?
What happens when he is so alpha that he demands complete surrender ?
What happens when your body, mind, and soul betray you ?
You submit .
You utter the words you never thought you would say .
“ Yes , sir .”
They should resist. They should say no. They should walk away and never look back .
But they won't .
Three women. Three men. Three tales of carnal delight that push the comfort zone .
Includes: Traditional Love, Traditional Terms, and Traditional Change .
**bad, bad, Girl is an erotic romance that pushes the boundaries of taboo. It is far from a Traditional Love romance. There is graphic sex, there is content that will certainly make you blush, and there are scenes that could cause grandma to have a stroke. If this is not your cup of tea, then please do not take a sip .
Delicate Scars
Is it possible to pick that one defining moment in life that fucked you up? Can anyone look back on their life and pinpoint the exact minute it happened? I used to believe that I wasn’t fucked up. I had absolutely no reason to be .
Until I met him .
Axel Rye .
Yes .
He fucked me up .
He really fucked me up .
It all started so simply. I only wanted to write a book about the dark, gritty world of nightclubs, booze, drugs, and sex. I didn’t expect to be sucked in to the point where I could no longer see the light. But I became weak. Axel Rye made me weak .
He was wrong in every way. He was a drug dealer, a criminal, and the kind of man your parents told you to stay away from. Yet, he became my drug, and I shook in need until my next fix .
I was delicate .
He was scarred .
But together…together we became delicate scars .
Maddox, The Black Stallion Trilogy #1 (with Maggie Ryan )
USA Today Bestselling Authors Maggie Ryan and Alta Hensley join forces to bring you the first novel in this action-packed, romantic suspense trilogy full of bad boys and the women who love them .
Power… danger… desire
Maddox Steele, along with his two brothers and father, lives by one code: Help all in need. No questions asked. Even if it means saving those who walk among the most sinister criminals in the world. Known as The Black Stallions, their mission is simple – provide rescue and safety to the underground .
Adira Nazar has no idea her entire life is about to explode into a million pieces. With her life in extreme danger, her only choice is to hand over complete trust to a dark and mysterious man she has never met before… Maddox Steele .
Just another job …
Someone to protect like all the others …
But when Maddox sets eyes on Adira, all bets are off. She is his save, and he's determined to make sure that nothing happens to this exotic beauty trapped in a ruthless world .
Tucked away at The Black Stallion Ranch, and with the few clues they have, can the Steeles put together the pieces in time to save her, or will they lose Adira to the clutches of darkness ?
S tryder, The Black Stallion Trilogy #2 (with Maggie Ryan )
USA Today Bestselling Authors Maggie Ryan and Alta Hensley join forces again to bring you the second novel in this action-packed, romantic suspense trilogy full of bad boys and the women who love them .
Dark… seductive… promise
Stryder Steele, along with his two brothers and father, lives by one code: Help all in need. Even if it means saving those who walk among the most sinister criminals in the world. Known as The Black Stallions, their mission is simple – provide rescue and safety to the innocents drawn into the evil depths of the underground .
Zoya Morozova has been kidnapped and ready to be sold at an underground human auction in Moscow. Being sold to the highest bidder, she has no idea her life is about to change when her new Master is the dark and mysterious… Stryder Steele .
Bad boy Stryder remembers the pain of being unable to save another but he’ll put his life on the line to save this beautiful Russian farm girl. When he buys Zoya with the purpose of rescuing her, he has no idea that she may have the power to rescue him as well .
Flown to The Black Stallion Ranch, and with the help of Zoya and the knowledge of the human sex trade she has, can the Steeles put together the pieces in time to save all the innocent women who had been sold to the monsters of the underground, or will they lose to the mastermind of it all ?
Anson, The Black Stallion Trilogy #3 (with Maggie Ryan )
USA Today Bestselling Authors Maggie Ryan and Alta Hensley join forces again to bring you the third novel in this action-packed, romantic suspense trilogy full of bad boys and the women who love them .
Sinister… passion… freedom
Anson Steele, along with his two brothers and father, lives by one code: Help all in need. Even if it means saving those who walk among the most sinister criminals in the world. Known as The Black Stallions, their mission is simple – provide rescue and safety to the innocents drawn into the evil depths of the underground .
Natalia Alvarez has been sold to the leader of one of Argentinian’s largest drug cartels at an underground human auction. Having been purchased by the highest bidder, she is now nothing more than a possession of Juan Montez and hidden away deep within the walls of his South American compound .
Anson Steele has been on the hunt for Natalia since the day he first saw her at the auction and helplessly had to watch her while not being able to do a thing about it. But he has made it his life’s mission to find this woman and pull her out of the depths of hell – at whatever cost. She will be his save one way or another .
With the backdrop of the mission being the unforgiving jungles and the dangerous streets of Argentina, and escaping a foreign country near impossible, is Natalia doomed to be locked away forever ?
While fighting against a powerful drug cartel and their ruthless leader, will Anson Steele be able to rescue Natalia before it is too late? Will they both be able to find refuge in The Black Stallion Ranch and put this awful nightmare behind them ?
The Dark Forest
Enjoy seven wicked tales from seven bestselling authors, each more deliciously deviant than the last! This anthology breaks every rule and is extremely taboo. It is so dark that it's actually black, and definitely not for the faint of heart. This anthology is not your typical romance. You have been warned .
Nothing is as it seems in our dark and twisted fairyland. Princes are not charming and the path to happily ever after is paved with creative punishments and supplication. Do not fret for our fair maidens. These are still fairytales. Love will conquer all in the end .
No White Knight
Not the perfect hero .
Not her Prince Charming .
He was...No White Knight .
Two stories, two women, two very dark men .
Hero in Disguise
Kidnapped and brought to an isolated military compound in the backwoods of West Virginia, Jessa Crowe realizes there is much more hidden in the dark depths of the hemlock trees .
She is surrounded by hate, sex, torture, and death. Only to be claimed by the devil himself—Decker Cassidy. But what Jessa soon discovers is that her captor may very well be her hero in disguise .
***
Pallid Slave
I hate the color white. When I see white, I see the darkest shadows in the depths of hell. Colorless, yet black as coal .
&nbs
p; My planet of Unin had all but been destroyed, and what was left was quickly being devastated by civil wars throughout. Everything I once believed, once knew, once fought ruthlessly to protect, had now vanished. Once I was a warrior, and now I was a slave being transported to a planet 720 hours away to die. Transported by two brothers .
A lot can happen in 720 hours …
Dark Feather
USA Today bestselling author Alta Hensley brings you an erotic and dark story that transports you to a gritty and ruthless world ...
Commander Rigby Moss was the leader of the Cyan army, and I was now his captive. Forced to learn the art of submission, as well as the art of war, I became his soldier. From the moment I was captured, I became a mighty warrior amongst a cast of men .
But I had a curse that haunted me daily. I was nothing but a mutant who possessed the answer for warmth, waterproofing, and ultimately, survival—feathers. They marked my skin, forever branding me as a Penna no matter how hard I tried not to be. I hated them. They shamed me. And although the feathers kept me alive, I was dead on the inside .