Seduced - Book Three - Surrender Series

by Anne, Melody

  Seduced

  Book Three in the Surrender Series

  By Melody Anne

  Copyright © 2013 Melody Anne

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author.

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

  Printed and published in the United States of America.

  Published by Gossamer Publishing Company

  Editing by Nicole and Alison

  Cover art by Trevino Creative

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Note from the Author

  Books by Melody Anne

  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

  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

  Epilogue

  Books by Melody Anne

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to Ray White. You are one of the kindest, hardest-working people I know. I love what a strong man you are, and how much you give to the world. You have helped me so much, and I appreciate it more than you could imagine, even if I don’t say it often enough. Thank you! May you find your very own Ari soon, because any woman who can have you for the rest of her life is truly blessed.

  Note from the Author

  I wanted to share with you all something of the way in which I come up with a story. Sixty percent of the story is from research, imagination, and thoughts that won’t go away. Thirty percent comes from personal experience, some greatly embellished for dramatic effect. (Sadly, a scene in Canada with my friend left on the dance floor and trapped in a hot crowd of men was true. I did leave poor Stephy out there, but, luckily, she survived.) The remaining ten percent of my inspiration rises up while I sit on the deck at night and think about the nature around me.

  Recently, when my husband and I were enjoying a cup of coffee during a family vacation, a spectacular storm flashed in the sky. I turned to him and said, “I need to write a love scene in which the characters make love during a great storm. I haven’t done it yet.” He said, “Oh, yes, outside in the rain.” We were in Orlando, Florida, and the rain was amazingly warm. And my thoughts started to pour in, like the rain. I said, “And a waterfall! We need a waterfall!” That is how quickly one scene in this book came up.

  A lot of hopeful authors, new authors, and friends ask me why I write romance. My answer? Romance is all around us. It’s beautiful, it’s compelling, and it will never die. Since I started writing full time three years ago, I haven’t been able to stop. I pray to my Heavenly Father daily that this gift won’t ever be taken from me; it’s the most joyful experience of my life. I struggle with sleep at night because I lie in bed and even in the comfort of my husband’s arms my mind refuses to shut down. Many times I’ve jumped from bed and rushed to my computer because an idea won’t go away.

  Why romance? Because we all need to dream. We all need to spread our wings. We all need to push for what we deserve in life. Thank you all for your support, and thank you for the joy you’ve brought to me and my family these last couple of years. I hope I can continue to entertain you with my dreams and visions in the years to come.

  Melody Anne

  Books by Melody Anne

  BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS

  *The Billionaire Wins the Game

  *The Billionaire’s Dance

  *The Billionaire Falls

  *The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal

  *Blackmailing the Billionaire

  *Runaway Heiress

  *The Billionaire’s Final Stand

  *Unexpected Treasure

  *Hidden Treasure – Coming Soon

  *Priceless Treasure – Coming Soon

  *Unrealized Treasure – Coming Soon

  *Wanted Treasure– Coming Soon

  BABY FOR THE BILLIONAIRE

  +The Tycoon’s Revenge

  +The Tycoon’s Vacation

  +The Tycoon’s Proposal

  +The Tycoon’s Secret

  +The Lost Tycoon – Coming Soon

  RISE OF THE DARK ANGEL

  -Midnight Fire – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book One

  -Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book Two

  -Midnight Storm – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book Three

  -Midnight Eclipse – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book Four – Coming Soon

  Surrender

  =Surrender – Book One

  =Submit – Book Two

  =Seduced – Book Three

  =Scorched – Book Four – Nov 2013

  Prologue

  “My, my, how the tables have turned.”

  “I swear, by all that’s holy, that if you don’t wipe that smart-assed smirk off your face, I will pound you to a bloody pulp!” Rafe thundered as he looked at his best friend, Shane.

  “Wow. Aren’t you cranky? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” Shane wasn’t the least bit intimidated by Rafe’s outburst. Of course, part of that could be because his best friend was securely behind bars.

  “Yeah, you’ve had your fun, Shane. Now pay the damned bail and get me the hell out of here!”

  “I don’t know if I can afford it, since this is the second time in two months…”

  “Shut up, Shane! This isn’t the time to be a jackass. They won’t let me pay the bail myself, and I want to go home!”

  “Maybe if you stopped picking fights at clubs, you wouldn’t get locked up,” Shane said as he came closer to the bars.

  Rafe’s hand snaked through the opening and grabbed hold of Shane’s shirt in an iron-tight grip. “Get — me — out — now!”

  “OK. OK. There’s no need for violence,” Shane said, unable to control the laughter spilling from him. “We wouldn’t want you to be thrown back in jail before you even get out.”

  Once Rafe released him, it didn’t take long for Shane to post bail, and th
en he was leaving county detention with a very irate Rafe. “That wasn’t amusing the first go-around, Shane, and certainly not this time,” Rafe growled as he climbed into Shane’s sleek silver Porsche.

  “I seem to remember that you found it quite amusing when the shoe was on the other foot and I needed to be bailed out.”

  “That was different,” Rafe muttered, rubbing his eyes. He hadn’t slept in forty-eight hours, and he smelled like stale tequila and sweat. He didn’t want to analyze the other odors drifting from his clothes.

  “We need to get out of this town. One month in Italy wasn’t long enough for Ari to forgive you, and you’ve been back for two months doing nothing but causing trouble. I think the best thing you can do is give the woman space. I’m scheduled to leave next week for South America because your unbelievably stubborn sister still won’t speak to me. Let’s take the hint and get away for a while.”

  Rafe stewed silently as he considered his best friend’s words. The Gli Amanti Cove project was on hold because of environmental disputes, so they were stalled there. Rafe felt like crap, and for the first time in his life he had no motivation whatsoever to find the next big acquisition. Maybe he should just leave for a while. It would give him time to pull himself together. He didn’t even know who he was anymore.

  He hadn’t seen Ari in three months and it was taking its toll on him. Every time he tried to speak to her, she would hang up the phone. He’d had gifts delivered to her new place, but she just returned his packages. The one time he’d cornered her, she’d coolly told him he wasn’t ready yet.

  Yes, he’d screwed up, but didn’t people make mistakes? What was so wrong with liking sex? Was he that bad a man because he knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to be with women who weren’t intimidated to explore their sexuality? He didn’t see it that way, but Ari apparently thought his actions were unforgivable. He’d even tried to enter into other satisfying sexual liaisons — not romantic, of course — but those had fizzled before they had even started.

  He couldn’t seem to forget one bright-eyed blond woman who’d stolen his breath away.

  “I’ll go with you.”

  Shane turned in surprise; his car swerved slightly into the next lane and almost clipped a station wagon. If Rafe had been in a better mood, he would have chortled at the look of terror on the father who was driving the old Volvo. The poor man had probably peed himself.

  “Seriously?” It was obvious that Shane had never expected Rafe to walk away from the business world so easily.

  “Yes. I need to get away before I do something incredibly foolish.”

  “Like you already haven’t,” Shane said with a laugh.

  Rafe glared at him before replying. “I’m serious. I’m ready to do this.”

  “What about work?”

  “I thought you were the one trying to talk me into this in the first place,” Rafe said with a frustrated sigh.

  “I am. Really. I just want to make sure you aren’t going to get there and then turn around and leave in two weeks. These people are really counting on us.”

  Rafe knew that Shane was right. The homes and businesses they built in Third World countries changed lives. Rafe was surprised by how much he wanted to be a part of it. He’d grown anxious, bored, and frustrated with his life.

  “I’ll make some calls. My manager can run things from here. I’m ready to leave.”

  Assessing Rafe for several moments, Shane finally spoke. “Good. Pack up, because we’ll be gone at least six months.”

  “What if you get called away?” Rafe asked.

  “We’ll cross that bridge,” Shane said. He was used to being yanked away, and he always came back as soon as the task was finished.

  This was a brilliant idea. Some hard physical labor was sure to take Rafe’s mind off of Ari. He just needed to get away from this mess for a while. His infatuation with one woman was out of character; hell, it was completely insane. But it was all in his head and he’d be over Ari before he knew it!

  Chapter One

  Two Years Later

  Ari

  “All right, class, I want you to take out your books and turn to page one hundred and four.” Ari took a deep breath as she looked out at the sea of students before her. Don’t let them see your fear. They will eat you alive.

  No matter how many times she chanted this in her head, she could feel the sweat beading on her brow, and what felt like ten-pound weights sitting on her chest. What if she messed up? What if she threw up? What if everything just went black and she face-planted in front of the entire room?

  You will not psych yourself out! You are Arianna Harlow, a strong, independent woman who just completed a master’s degree. That takes guts, determination, and stamina. Not everyone is cut out for a higher education, but you did it in the face of everything you’d gone through. This is nothing in comparison. A class of fifty students will not intimidate you.

  OK, she was feeling a bit less faint as she dimmed the lights and turned on the screen projector. This was her first job and she was grateful to be teaching.

  The last two years hadn’t been easy for Ari, but she’d worked hard, studying longer, jogging for miles upon miles to try to relieve the constant ache in her body, and spending what little free time she allowed for herself with her mother and friends.

  The most difficult of times was being with Lia and Rachel. She loved them both so much, but they were a reminder of what she’d never again have.

  Rafe.

  It seemed that not a single day could pass without a thought of him fluttering through her mind. Time had lessened the ache but hadn’t removed it altogether. Love for a man like Rafe didn’t disappear overnight — apparently, not even after two years. She didn’t regret her decision to walk away — it was what she’d had to do — but still, she missed him. Missed his smile and his laughter, missed the way his hands had caressed her body.

  The few dates she’d attempted since leaving him had been a joke. No man could measure up to Rafe Palazzo. Yes, he’d been controlling and had pushed her in ways she still couldn’t believe — he’d had her doing things she’d never thought she’d enjoy — but he’d also changed her forever.

  She could never go back to that innocent girl she’d been. Rafe had opened her eyes to a new world, and it was a place she’d enjoyed. She would never settle for less than love, but she did miss the excitement the man provided. Missed the hunger that swelled into desire from deep within whenever he touched her.

  Rafe was many things, but boring wasn’t one of them. No man had stirred her the way he had, and she missed him desperately, though she never admitted that — not even to herself. What good would it do her?

  Shaking off the melancholy thoughts, Ari focused on the meticulously written out notes in front of her as she began her carefully planned-out lecture. Too nervous to focus on the students, she was relieved when class was nearly over and it came time for them to ask questions.

  Please, someone have something to ask was her only hope in that moment. The next few minutes passed with several questions, and the stiffness eased from her body. Only a couple of minutes more to go and she could call her first class a success.

  “Are there any more questions?” This she would soon regret asking.

  “Yes. Will you join me for dinner tonight?”

  Ari’s body stiffened and her face flushed. She would never, ever forget that voice — it haunted her in her dreams, making her wake up aching and empty. It trailed her as she walked the streets and heard a man’s laughter. It caressed her body when she lay in bed at night and ran through the various conversations they’d had.

  Ari’s ears were ringing too loudly for her to hear the chuckling in her classroom as she lifted her head and her eyes locked with Rafe’s purple-and-blue gaze.

  Sitting comfortably in the back of the classroom, he took her breath away with his confident grin. Two years since she’d last laid eyes on him, and he still looked deliciously perfect. Several studen
ts turned his way, the girls batting their eyelashes, the guys wanting to be him. It was obvious to anyone present that he was a man who would always get his way.

  Some people you were drawn to simply because of their confidence. Rafe was one of them. There was nothing about him that shouted insecure. His command was obvious from his very demeanor.

  No! She reminded herself. He didn’t always get his way. He’d wanted her, and she’d had the courage to walk away because he hadn’t been willing to give her what she deserved. He might have been a man in charge, but that didn’t lessen who she was. She’d stood up, been strong and hadn’t stopped her forward momentum for a single instant once she’d finally gained the courage.

  Yes, her heart had shattered that day she’d left his home, then shattered again when she walked away from him at her college graduation. However, she hadn’t let it stop her. She’d accepted the pain, had felt it to the utmost, but she hadn’t let it define her. She’d moved on.

  When she’d come to the realization that, yes, love could be magical but that magic was still only an illusion, her pain had eased. It took time and effort to make love last if you wanted it to go beyond that illusion, that vision. Rafe had expected to get what he wanted without putting in the effort. It was his loss.

  Looking him straight in the eyes — showing him she wasn’t afraid — she spoke. “Are there any questions pertaining to the lecture?” Only the slightest bit of breathlessness entered her words as she forced her gaze from his in a deliberately measured way.

  The room was silent, apart from a few remaining snickers.

  “Very well, then. On Wednesday, upon your return, I want the questions at the end of the chapter done and turned in. We’ll be discussing the Civil War all semester, and I expect you to learn a heck of a lot more than who fought and the dates it happened. By the time you move on to your next subject, you should have a basic understanding of why this war took place, and the lives that it affected. Thank you. Class is dismissed.”