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Winter Igniting

Page 32

by Rebecca Zanetti


  “I belong to a club in Dallas.” His hand came off her head and his feet disappeared. “It’s very nice.”

  She knew the one he was talking about. “Well, then if we’re in Dallas, you can take me someplace new. I’ve heard The Club is lovely and that Julian Lodge knows how to treat his clients. It’s probably better than Ian Taggart. Ian treats everyone like we’re still in the Army and he’s the general in charge.”

  “Lodge is polite, but I still feel like I’m on the outside any place other than The Reef.”

  She heard the door to the closet open and took a long breath. “It’s good to have a place where you belong.”

  She couldn’t see what he was doing. It was part of the glorious mind fuck that got her adrenaline going.

  “You seem to belong a lot of places.”

  “I have a membership to The Garden and Sanctum, but only because of my work status. I feel weird in Sanctum. For a long time I was on the opposite side of Ian Taggart—well, he thought I was on the opposite side. No one was allowed to know my true identity except my handler and his boss. It’s the curse of the double agent. Sometimes you feel like no one believes you at all because you’ve become such a master at lying.”

  She was surprised that came out as easily as it had. Her former career wasn’t something she liked to talk about, but something about being in the dungeon always made her vulnerable. In many ways, the dungeon was the only place she did talk about what had happened to her. It was her confessional, the one place she could be vulnerable because she knew there would be absolution.

  “Do you still lie?”

  “I try not to. In my daily life, I don’t lie at all. I don’t care enough to lie. I can be too harsh at times because I gave all my fucks up a long time ago.” Except that I’ll lie to you. I’ll lie because my job and my friends are all I really care about anymore.

  Yeah, she didn’t say that part out loud.

  “I like honesty,” he said. “No, I require it. I can’t stand people blowing sunshine up my ass. I have far too much of that every day. It makes you wonder who to trust. It’s why I like Jared. I don’t think he’s smart enough to lie.”

  “That feels rough.”

  “I guess I gave away all my fucks, too. Eyes up.”

  She brought her eyes to meet his gaze and couldn’t help the shiver of desire that went through her body. He’d shed his shirt and every bit of dietary restraint showed in his perfectly cut body. Wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung jeans, he stared down at her. There was no way to miss the bulge in his denims. Joshua Hunt was built on long, lean lines, but that erection was anything but lean. It was a massive beast restrained by denim.

  He held a crop in his hand, looking every inch the dark, decadent Dom.

  Acknowledgments

  I’m thrilled to bring this next book of the Scorpius Syndrome to readers, and I have many people to thank.

  Thank you to my wonderful family, Big Tone, Karlina, and Gabe. I love you very much.

  Thanks to Asha Hossain Design for the fabulous cover, Chelle Olson for the fantastic edits, and Michael Pauley for the wonderful audio narrations of the Scorpius Syndrome Books.

  Thank you to my agent, Caitlin Blasdell, who gives fantastic advice across the board, and who has been with me through six series. Thanks also to Liza Dawson and the entire Dawson gang for their hard work and support.

  Thanks to Jillian Stein, Minga Portillo, Anissa Hammons, Rebecca’s Rebels, Writer Space, and Fresh Fiction for getting the word out about the books.

  Thanks to my constant support system: Jim and Gail English, Travis and Debbie Smith, Donald and Stephanie West, Jonah and Jessica Namson, and Herb and Kathy Zanetti.

  Also by Rebecca Zanetti

  The Scorpius Syndrome Series

  Prequel: Scorpius Rising

  Mercury Striking

  Shadow Falling

  Justice Ascending

  Storm Gathering

  Winter Igniting

  Knight Awakening (Release date TBD)

  Scorpius Syndrome/The Brigade Novellas

  Scorpius Rising

  Blaze Erupting

  The Dark Protector Series

  Fated (Book 1)

  Claimed (Book 2)

  Tempted (2.5)

  Hunted (Book 3)

  Consumed (Book 4)

  Provoked (Book 5)

  Twisted (5.5)

  Shadowed (Book 6)

  Tamed (6.5)

  Marked (Book 7)

  Vampire’s Faith (Book 8)

  Realm Enforcers (Dark Protector spinoff)

  Wicked Ride

  Wicked Edge

  Wicked Burn

  Wicked Kiss

  Wicked Bite

  Dark Protectors: Reese Family novellas

  Teased

  Tricked

  Tangled

  The Sin Brothers series

  Forgotten Sins

  Sweet Revenge

  Blind Faith

  Total Surrender

  The Blood Brother series

  Deadly Silence

  Lethal Lies

  Twisted Truths

  The Maverick Montana series

  Against the Wall

  Under the Covers

  Rising Assets

  Over the Top

  To keep up to date:

  www.RebeccaZanetti.com

  https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaZanetti.books

  http://rebeccazanetti.com/rebeccas-newsletter/

 

 

 


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