by Ann, Pamela
More books by Pamela Ann
The Torn Series Order:
Scornfully Yours
Scornfully Hers
Frayed
Blasphemous
Undeniably Yours
Scorned
Fixated On You
Christmas With You
Unveiled November 19
Crushed TBA
Damaged TBA
The Chasing Series:
Chasing Beautiful
Chasing Imperfection
Chasing Paradise
Chasing Forever (Lucy & Toby)
Chasing Mrs. Knightly: Epilogue
Lily’s Mistake
Loving Drake
Loving Lily
British Billionaires Series:
Falling For My Husband (Callum & Stella)
Falling For Ava (Reiss & Ava) September 2014
Formula Men Series:
Monza Luca di Medici Coming June 24
Nice Jacques Bertrand TBA
Barcelona Andrès Franco TBA
Pieces: A Duet
Pieces of You & Me
Pieces Of Us
Havoc (Dark Erotica)
+ Upcoming Novels +
My Summer in Venice Coming May 2014
Bartered Coming August 2014
Breaking My Vows TBA 2014
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Bartered (A Trilogy)
A woman could be… Everything. Anything. Nothing.
I was a connoisseur of beautiful things, women included. I didn’t just have one, but three—all exotic, stunning and would do anything I asked.
My life was grand. It was perfect and I was content with it all, until a little minx came along. The second our eyes clashed, giving me a glimpse of her violet blue depths that had a mixture of stubbornness and will but with a hint of something else…
Choices were made. Decisions were done.
And for the very first time in my life, I was challenged with something risky, merely igniting the animal in me.
Bartered
(The Encounter Trilogy)
Copyright © 2014 by Pamela Ann
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without a written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
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Chapter 1
Hugo
“Mr. Xavier, your presence is needed sir.” Benoît, my head security, prompted me the second I hung up the conference call I had from England.
I considered him a moment, pausing as I raised my brow, before responding to him with a curt question. “In regards to what?”
My life revolved mostly with work. Well, it was the love of my life. The Riviera had been in my family for generations. It was more than a five-star luxury hotel that offered one of Europe’s finest casinos but it was a class on its own. It was a legacy that ran in my blood. It became my soul when I had nothing left going on with my life.
This was all I had.
The power.
The prestige.
The privilege.
Benoît cleared his throat before answering me with a raised brow, doubtful. “It’s about Miss Dana Bateau sir. One of the cleaning ladies found her in your library trying to open your safe.” He paused before sharply adding, “Sir.”
Dana…trying to open my safe… she’s been with me for about over six months and was this her first attempt? Or the first she ever got caught? I met her through Javier. A man I socialized yet never welcomed in my circle of trusted friends. Come to think of it, I didn’t have friends. I had partners, associates, acquaintances…but never friendships. I didn’t trust a lot of people—and the ones I did—it was a puny trusted circle. Dana obviously wasn’t in it. “Where is she now?” I calmly asked as I turned my attention back on the screen, starting at the message that was before me while I waited for Benoît to continue.
“She’s held in the villa sir. We’re waiting for your orders.”
“Hmm,” I murmured nonchalantly before getting up, striding into the vast glass that covered the entire wall looking down on the bright lights that showed the night beauty of Monaco. “Wait for me downstairs. I need a moment.” Gently barking out an order, I didn’t move until I heard the soft shut of the heavy oak door before strolling towards the marbled table for my humidor. Cuban cigars were lined accordingly. Precisely. Just like my life—it was a well-oiled lifestyle…and from time to time one would find some problems. The imperfections. Like Dana…
Plucking one out of the leathered case, I reached for my ivory encrusted cutter. It was a present from one of my lovers. One of the few presents that I truly enjoyed. The ivory tusk that it came from wasn’t from a poacher—or so what Evangeline promised. She said it was from her elephant pet who had became so ill they had to end her life. She loved the pet so much that she wanted me to have something beautiful that had meaning. She was one of the tribal African princesses, so I didn’t question her. Surely princesses didn’t lie? I thought with amusement as I recalled her stating the same thing. She was a woman of beauty and quick wit. I admired that about her. It was unfortunate when we ended our relationship because she was due to marry someone of high ranking from her country.
Lighting my cigar, I thought of Dana and the contents of what was in the safe. The items in there was of value…but it was of no value in regards to anything vital—those were kept in a place where no one could access it but myself.
Taking a long draw, I leisurely exhaled the smoke as I savored the smooth taste it left of my tongue when I heard another knock, angered that someone dared knock on my door when I gave orders not to disturb me other than Benoît. “What?”
I heard the man himself clear his throat before breaking another news. “There’s another urgent matter sir.”
“Merde!” It was barely noon and this day led more surprises than Bastille Day. “Ce qui s'est passé?” What happened? I wasn’t known for my temper nor did I often display it most especially to the people that I employed, but for the past week after that short and curt meeting I had with my father, I’d been on a short fuse, about to explode like a ticking time bomb to whomever stepped on my wrong foot. Father kept reminding me of the oath I took. Each year was the very same speech and it wasn’t as if I was going to ever forget my vow. Yet every year, at the very same day he visits to make sure I was in check—that I wasn’t being reckless as he sarcastically put it.
Reckless wasn’t part of my anatomy. Yet the old man persisted. Though I couldn’t lay the blame on him. We both weren’t at fault that we were cursed. It has caused my father tremendous pain and suffering and his “yearly reminder” was done out of love with a hefty amount of caution. It was a curse we both grieved and would endure until we both shall live on this earth.
Benoît came into view seeming undeterred about my outburst. “It’s a matter of a Class A client sir. He was caught counting cards and when security detained him, it showed that he had insufficient funds to reimburse the checks.”
Money made the world go fucking round and round, as it did with mine. “How much does he owe?”
“Three hundred thousand E
uros,” he uttered without a blink.
Fils de pute. Son of a bitch. “This man owes me three hundred thousand euros—and he still managed to get inside my casino to gamble some more—and security didn’t flag him?”
“The finance department wasn’t notified until an hour ago. The security team wouldn’t have known that, Monsieur Xavier. Our men follow protocols, never fear of that.”
They did. Of course, he was right. He was the one who made sure that everything was perfect. Batard. “Where’s this man now?”
“He’s in one of the rooms next to the finance office, Monsieur.”
“Meet me in the casino in the elevator lobby in ten minutes.” I nodded nose flaring as I put down my cigar, wondering how unlucky I was to be dealing with such bullshit at such early a morning.
Chapter 2
Hugo
“My daughter—she’ll work the debt off.” The man before me said in such a temperamental tone that somehow set me off like a rocket.
“I beg your pardon? I don’t do this sort of negotiation, Monsieur Callas—you must be mistaken.” This pompous ass of a man was telling me that his daughter—his very own daughter—was to pay off his debts. What a disgrace! The likes of him didn’t deserve any love and support from any daughter who would unthinkably offer them like they were chopped meat from a butcher’s stall.
My subtle decline of his “generous” offer seemed not enough to get my point across because he somehow pulled out his phone before sliding it towards me. “She’s willing to pay the debt off for me if you let me walk out of the door without charges.”
Mon Dieu! But this man was beyond appallingly dense. “And what do you suppose she’d do, Monsieur Callas? I am fully staffed. Paying off three hundred thousand euros would take her years to pay off—I don’t have such time to waste. I’m running an empire not a trade show.” I ignored the phone before me, not willing to even consider the most absurd of ideas. This wasn’t the first time a man had written bad checks. In fact, this sort of atrociousness happened all the time. Rich men who couldn’t afford to roll anymore of their expensive lifestyle that were willing to auction off their best assets—heirlooms, paintings, cars, yachts—name it, I’d taken them all. I was ruthless in the business arena and every time a man offers their wives or daughters to “pay the debts off”, not only was I harder to negotiate for terms after but I simply lost respect for them as a person, as a man.
A knock on the door interrupted us. “Oui?” Barking at the mahogany door, I loosened my tie as I felt my temper rising. Truly, this day was outrageous.
“His daughter is here sir. She’s requesting to see her father.” Benoît’s voice came through the slit of the slightly ajar door.
“Merde!” I muttered through my gritted teeth as I glared at the overly confident man before me. “You invited her here?” I said accusingly.
Dark detached eyes met my own. “I alerted her the second the security team asked me to step aside. She lives close…besides, you might find her a gem.”
This was becoming a circus. Was this man’s gambling a family affair then? “Let her in—” This better be worth my time, I thought the second the words left my lips. Constantin Callas was known to be brash, unscrupulous, womanizer and a degenerate gambler. This was the first time I had met the man and I disliked him on the spot.
Both of our heads turn towards the door when we heard it creak open, entering a slim figure of a woman with ink black hair and the most fascinating eyes with a small delicate face captured my undivided attention, striking me like I had never been before in my life. My throat and my groin constricted at the same time, spell bounded at the beauty and confidence she exuded. And what a sight she was….
“I apologize to interrupt your meeting, Mr. Xavier but my father said it was urgent I join you both.” Her voice was soft yet it hinted enough force that meant that she was to be taken seriously.
Well, the woman walked into the right room because things truly just became serious.
“Leave us.” I commanded, eyes unwavering at her while the rest, including her father, started to retreat behind the doors. The moment I heard still silence, I decided that I wanted a better view so I stood up, face not giving away my thoughts as I sized the soon to be prize. My eyes roved around her delicate figure, admiring and appreciative at her beguiling beauty. “What’s your name?”
Her eyes snapped into mine, enthralling me for a second. A heartbeat. “Isobel.” She stated proudly as those blue eyes with hints of violet struck me within.
It was immediate. The rush so potent that it left me reeling…I felt it in my gut, fueling the heated fire in my groin all the way to my cock. “Isobel.” I tried her name on my lips, not knowing what to make of it. “So…Isobel… What are you doing here?”
She met my gaze, brazen and painstakingly beautiful. “I’m here to help my father.”
Ah the old man… he had one asset that would interest me more than monetary value. He was a man who knew quality—and he was also certain that I would get entranced the moment I lay my eyes on her daughter. He knew how to bargain, I’d have to give him the credit. “How do you plan to help your father, Isobel?” I raised my brow, wanting to see where and how far she’d take this conversation. “Three hundred thousand Euros is not a small number.”
Determined, she only lifted her chin at me. “I can work for you—be a secretary, a cook, a companion,” she rasped out. “I could be whatever you like…” she trailed off the last bit of the sentence.
My mouth quirked when she couldn’t utter what she truly meant. No, she didn’t blush but I could tell it made her uncomfortable. As she should. No right-minded woman should offer herself to pay of her father’s debts. “I have three girlfriends—well, two at the moment.” I retracted the second I realized what Dana’s been up to. “I can get a woman without having to pay her that hefty amount.”
She looked confused. Then panicked when my words finally sunk in. “Please, Mr. Xavier—I beg you—I can fill in the third position.”
She seemed desperate, making me more curious as to why she was doing this. There’s got to be a good reason. “Now why would I do that? Do you have any special skills to please me that Sherry and Chantel can’t do?”
Beautiful eyes blinked blankly at me. “No.” She shook her head dejectedly. “I do not.”
Gazing her luminous skin, I felt almost tempted to touch it before common sense took over. “Very well. So tell me again, why should I hire you?”
“Because you’re a good man and you’d take pity on me.” Her voice strained. “My father is a hard man and I’m sure you have no ounce of remorse towards him—but my brother and I—my brother most especially needs. If father decides to cut him off from his monthly allowance from my grandfather’s estate, things could get very ugly and difficult for the both of us.”
So you’re saying you’re willing to sell your body to secure your brother’s lifestyle and yours? Did I get that right?” My heart turned cold. How often do I see these demure beautiful women and think them beautiful and angelic, only to be proven wrong when they turned out to be only after one thing? Money was a powerful thing to behold. It turned gentle souls to cruel ruthless beings. It breeds selfishness and greed…but most of all, it propelled more evilness in this world. And yet without it, there would be no system. It was disappointing to learn Isobel to be in the same pond as the rest, yet I couldn’t really say that I was shocked from her admission. After all, if you’re father was Constantin Callas; could one really expected more of their breed?
She opened her cherry glossy lips to protest but shut it instead and made a small nod, agreeing to everything I threw at her. “I suppose if you put it that way…then yes, I am selling myself to you.”
There was something in her voice that tugged at me, as if her sadness was something I should take notice of…cared of. It was odd. Remaining mum, I strode towards the silver tray, took the carafe and poured myself some red wine. “Would you like some?” I offered bef
ore taking a sip, eyes still watching her, taking every expression that crossed her beautiful face.
Biting her bottom lip, she shook her head to decline my offer before stepping closer me, brows furrowing. “What will happen to my father?”
Like the rest…since the fool didn’t want to offer anything else apart from her. It said a lot about him and how much he cared for his children. Some people weren’t fit to be parents. As was I. But that problem wouldn’t ever be mine. I suppose I could be grateful for that. Gazing into the remaining liquid in my glass, I paused before answering her. “He’s going to jail. As expected.”
“No. No. Please—help me.” She persisted. “Let me be at your disposal—I promise I won’t let you down.”
Very well. I shall test her resolve…
“Come tonight—and no I won’t do anything to you but I want you to watch how I take a woman. Then you can decide if this is something you want.” She licked her lips before nodding nervously towards me. Striding towards the door, I gave her one last lingering look. “I’ll have someone come get you tonight. Until then…Isobel.”