Dubious: The Loan Shark Duet (Book 1)

by Charmaine Pauls

  The smile that cracks her thick layer of foundation is artificial. “I’d love to see how you explain this one to Carly.”

  It’s a low blow. Since considering the possibility that Valentina may be pregnant, it’s something I’ve contemplated. I’ll have to lie to my daughter, telling her some rosy shade of pink bullshit story about Valentina and I falling in love, when in reality nothing can be further from the truth. There’s no way to ensure Valentina will keep her mouth shut about the circumstances of how we ended up in bed. I seduced her, but I did it against her will. There’s little difference between my kind of seduction and force. For all I know, she’ll take revenge in telling Carly how I stole, blackmailed, and tortured her for nothing but my pleasure, only so I can feed my sick addiction to giving her pain and orgasms. Her tears and pleas make me hard, but her climaxes make me explode. The combination of the two––her pain and pleasure¬––is the biggest aphrodisiac. Beyond that physical part something else has started to develop, these things she makes me feel, like the agony that’s slicing through my gut right now. I don’t know what to do with these feelings. I both love and resent her for them.

  “I’ll deal with it,” I say bluntly. “No one says a word to Carly but me.”

  “Oh,” she snickers, “I wasn’t going to volunteer. I’ll leave the unpleasant task to you.”

  “Good. I’m glad we understand each other.” I walk to the door and turn. My smile is as cold as her eyes. “Congratulations. You’re going to be a grandmother again.”

  I don’t wait for her reaction. I go back to my study to start my own search.

  It becomes apparent I have nothing to go on. Valentina destroyed her phone in no place other than that godforsaken area where she used to live, and she hasn’t touched the money in her account. Even though she couldn’t afford a plane ticket, I set up a search for travelers by plane and bus. Trains going farther than Pretoria are non-existent, so that leaves me with private taxis, but none in the Johannesburg area has crossed the city borders during the last few hours. My hackers plant bugs in electronic banking and medical servers to raise a flag if her and Charlie’s names pop up anywhere on the system. I inform my network of colleagues and police informants to be on the lookout and offer a huge award for any information on her whereabouts. Then I drive to Kris’ house, who’s shell shocked. She shows me Valentina’s text when I finally convince her that I’m only trying to keep Valentina safe and demands why Valentina would’ve run. I don’t tell her about the baby. For now, it’s best that only Magda, my bodyguards, and I know.

  I take Rhett and drive to Berea. We knock on the door of every bar and business in a five-mile radius of her old place, but no one knows anything. By the time night falls, I’m sick. My concern is so great I can’t even hate her for it. I only want her back. She’s got no money and the world is a very unsafe place. Valentina may be cold, hungry, or scared. She may even be in danger. Without money, her only option is a backstreet abortion, and those don’t come without health risks. Feeling defeated, I get behind the wheel, and drive to an unbearably empty home.

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  From the Author

  Dear Reader,

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  Thank you very much for joining me on Valentina and Gabriel’s journey. If you enjoyed the story, please consider leaving a short review (just a line or two will do) on your favorite review or vendor site to help other readers discover the book. Every review makes a huge difference!

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  I look forward to staying in touch.

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  Warmest regards,

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  Charmaine

  Also by Charmaine Pauls

  The Seven Forbidden Arts Series

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Loving the Enemy

  Pyromancist

  Aeromancist, The Beginning

  Aeromancist

  Hydromancist

  Geomancist

  Necromancist

  Scapulimancist

  Chiromancist

  Man

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  Standalone Novels

  (Futuristic Romance)

  Between Fire & Ice

  The Astronomer

  * * *

  (Paranormal Romance)

  The Winemaker

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  (Literary Romance)

  Between Yesterday & Tomorrow

  Second Best

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  A Krinar Kindle World Novel

  (Futuristic Romance)

  The Krinar Experiment

  About the Author

  Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a degree in Communication at the University of Potchefstroom and followed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography, graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions.

  After relocating to Chile with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published eighteen novels since 2011, as well as several short stories and articles. Two of her short stories were selected for publication in an African anthology from across the continent by the International Society of Literary Fellows in conjunction with the International Research Council on African Literature and Culture.

  When she is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and rescue cats. Charmaine currently lives in Montpellier with her husband and children. Their household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.

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  http://charmainepauls.com

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