Novels by JL Beck

Still, there’s that familiar rush when the tension builds. When I can’t go slow anymore. My strokes deepen, faster, harder. And instead of scraping her nails over me, she drags them. Raking me, barely stopping short of breaking the skin.“That’s right,” she whispers, staring deep into my eyes. “Fuck me. Only you. Always you.”“Mia…” I grit my teeth, holding on, wanting to come with her. “I love you.”“I love you.” A high-pitched moan builds in her throat, louder each time our bodies slam together. By the time we’re both at the edge, we’re fucking madly, like animals, using each other for our own gain. My balls tighten, and her cunt tightens around my cock, and yes, this is it, yes, mine, mine, she’s always going to be mine—I drop my head to the mattress, just beside her ear, muffling my shouts the way she muffles hers against my shoulder. She shudders, and so do I, both of us under the control of something much bigger while the last of our passion eases away.Soon it’s just the two of

“But I will be—from the business side of things. I already told him everything I came up with, and I’m sure we’ll work out the details later. We’re going to do an image rehabilitation, and I’ll be the face of it. In exchange for that, I get you.”“I can’t believe he would agree to that.”She snorts. “Once I reminded him of how bad it would look if I popped up in his life, then disappeared again, he started to get the picture. It looks much better for me to stick around and be happy than for me to suddenly vanish because I ran away or because he wants to hide me someplace since I won’t play along with his plans.”“He’s going to let us—”She cuts me off with a kiss. Slow, tender. “Yes,” she whispers after pulling away. “He’s going to let us. Because I told him I love you, too. And I always will. You’re all I want.”I touch her face, her hair, her hands. I’ve never known what it means to have something I wished for. I figured that kind of thing wasn’t for men like me. Yet here she is, an

“No. He never got that far.” I wait, hoping he’ll catch on. “But what if he did? He’s not around to say he didn’t. We don’t have to spread that around to the police or the press—but what if you hinted at it to the Rinaldis? I’m disgusted with myself for even thinking it, but if my being a virgin is so important to them, maybe they’d be willing to break the contract.”He’s stone-faced. His plan, his goal of uniting our families is not something he’s going to let go of easily. But I’m not letting go either. I think he’s starting to figure that out, too.We both look at his phone when it rings. He picks it up, his face falling when he sees who’s calling. I’ve never seen him without his mask on. When he’s not acting like the big, bad guy. Now he’s a man stuck between a rock and a hard place. He’s human.When he doesn’t answer right away, I prompt him. “Who is it?”“It’s Philip Rinaldi.” Our eyes meet. “I sent him a message to cancel dinner, so I don’t know why he’s calling now.”“What are

For some reason, that’s the last straw. I’m so done with all of this. Being under his thumb, controlled, demeaned. Used like a pawn. “Who do I think I am?” I stand and drop the blanket. “Who do you think you are?”He’s so surprised that he drops the phone. “You got fucked up somehow tonight. I’m ready to chalk this attitude of yours up to that. And if you’re smart, you’re going to stop talking, and that’ll be that. Understood?”“Stop dismissing me. You weren’t around for the first seventeen years of my life, and now you act like taking care of me for a year is enough to earn the right to treat me like a pet. I deserve better than that, if only because I’m your daughter.”“If you weren’t my daughter, you wouldn’t be here. Did you forget about that?”“I don’t have to be here anymore, then. I don’t need anything from you, and I don’t want anything from you. I’ll leave with nothing but the clothes on my back. No school, no anything. It’s fine. I’ll get by.”“Right. Like you’d do anything

“We’ll double-check, but my contacts in the department tell me it’s an open-and-shut case.” Bruno sits on the edge of his desk, with Mia in the chair beside mine. She’s freshly showered and changed now that we’re back at the compound. Her skin is pink from all the scrubbing.I wanted more than anything to be there with her, to hold her and wash her and tell her it’ll be okay.He continues. “The story is, it’s a crush gone wrong. He became obsessed when Mia rejected him—and he planned to blackmail her into dating him by using her Morelli ties against her, hence sending her all that shit earlier.”His gaze lands on me. In all these years, he’s never looked at me the way he looks at men he considers his equal. Not until tonight. “That little spat the two of you got into outside that restaurant works in our favor. There are plenty of witnesses who can confirm he was out of control that day and looking to throw fists over Mia.”“Anything I can do to help.” I didn’t know it at the time that

I’d answer, but I’m too scared to speak.Besides, a soft, high-pitched beeping noise catches my attention before I can react.The alarm. Zeke disarmed the alarm from outside.And Dean didn’t hear it. Too busy planning to kill me.“I’m a victim in this, too,” I remind him, desperate to stall for just another minute. “Don’t punish me for that. These things happened before I ever—”He didn’t hear the alarm disarming, but there’s no way he couldn’t hear the door being unlocked.He spins around, aiming the gun at the door now.The only thing I can think to do is scream. “Zeke! Gun!”33ZEKEMia Casteel owns my soul. She might have saved it by showing me I’m more than a cold, unfeeling hitman. More than a bodyguard.And by screaming my name at the last second, she might have saved my life.When I hear her scream, I pivot, pressing my back to the wall beside the door while it swings open. A bullet hits the wall across from the doorway, one that would’ve gone through me if I hadn’t moved.I

“O-oh!” she shouted as she remembered the power he had, the strength to handle her like she was just a mere slip of a girl. Suddenly—she helplessly came.“Yes, Daze, thatta girl, come on my cock.”“Ahhh! She screamed and tilted her head back with ecstasy—as she did just that.Rand reached up and tweaked both nipples.“God dammit, Leather man! Have you no m-mercy in your s-soul?” She orgasmed hard as she tried to pull in another breath to cuss him out.“There’s no mercy in me, my dear.” He repeated his pumping a few more times and then his large hard body grew rigid beneath hers as he came inside of her with a low growl.PRELUDE TO Getting’ HitchedThey all think it’s me!VICTORIAVictoria had made sure all the food was lined up right on the many buffet tables out in the courtyard. She loved this wedding and after doing ten of these, she knew she’d never attended one that was so bizarre as the Plush-Monroe wedding. The horses all lined up and the hunky cowboy grooms atop them. Then the

Her eyes fluttered open.“This is where we go off script and I devour you from…” He kissed her forehead “…The top of your head…” His hot hands roamed along her skin then down to her clit as he stroked it with a strong finger. “…To your sweet pussy.”She swallowed heavily as her body shuddered.“This is what I waited for…I will have all of you too.” His eyes blazed at her.Oh, sweet heavens! God damn hot Leather Man! Her chest heaved as he moved her back to the bed.After sitting her down, he took a step back and undid his tie.Daisy stared. Oh, he is gonna strip for me! Her hands clenched at the thick velvet bedspread that lie beneath her bare bottom.He undid his tie and tossed it to the floor. Then he removed his formal tux jacket and tossed that too.Daisy waited impatiently. In her time at the Stud ranch, she’d seen plenty of men do this, but she’d never felt like she was going to pass out just from the anticipation of seeing all of Rand.He removed his shirt.There it was….that h

Rand peered down at her with a raised brow.Her startled gaze swung up to meet his and she gasped…HE KNOWS! Someone told him about her secret love for an 80 year old film! Or—wait. I told him. Her face flushed and she felt like she was gonna pass out again. Damn. I did! Years ago, when we were having that wild fling in Australia. YES! I even told him about the White Hill mansion, about being too poor and trashy to ever set foot inside of it. OH—sweet lord. He did all this from memory? Her throat swelled shut and her breathing grew rapid. He set all this up, so that she could actually live out the most passionate scene she’d ever seen in a movie.“I’m waiting, Daze. I know you know the line.”Daisy thought that saying I DO was hard, but she didn’t know if she could actually speak right this second. She cleared her dry throat and gazed up at him. “I’m not cornered. You’ll never corner me—Rand Monroe, or frighten me.”Rand gave her that brilliant smile. “This is one night you're not turn

“Well, thank the lord in heaven!” Mable shouted over the crowd. “They are FINALLY hitched!”The crowd cheered.Jet kept ahold of Maggie’s hand as she tearfully watched the bride and groom disappear around the side of the main house.CHAPTER TWENTY “Frankly, my dear…I don’t give a damn.”DAISYRand carried her around to the front of the Triple K.Daisy’s head was spinning. I almost didn’t get married today. With me running away and all the interruptions? Though at the time, it all seemed to be one big terrifying blur. Then when Rand got up on the podium next to the preacher, she’d thought…This is it! Where he says he only did all this to give me the humiliation I rightfully deserved for all the times I up and left him. Then he made that statement and she again, thought she might just faceplant right in front of the dammed preacher.Now, while he strode toward the driveway, the shock still hadn’t worn off, so she couldn’t even ask him what he was doing or where they were going.Rand sa

At first, with the sun slanting down, no one could make out who the rider was. The shape of the silhouette looked odd though.“Dammit who would be disrupting this damn near wedding now?” Mable again swore under her breath.The horse and rider came into view. It was Wade and he held Kanda on his lap. “Wait! I have the ring!” he shouted as he came up the rose petal covered red carpet aisle…horse and all.“I will be god dammed!” Jared Noble laughed from next to Mable.Rand narrowed his eyes at his overly late son who was supposed to be the best man.Wade jumped off the horse with Kanda in his arms like he carried a kitten instead of a curvy woman. He set her in next to Mable, patted her butt and hurried to the front.Kanda stared at him with glazed eyes and beamed at his back.Jet chuckled from beside Maggie. “Never thought I would see the day someone could make her look like that.”Maggie chuckled with him.“Son…you’s best shush up!” Maggie warned form the other side of the aisle.Jet l

Brea felt a sexual power burgeoning in her chest as she could see his helpless passion. Oh, sweet lord, I never knew how taking over would feel. “Come for me my hot cowboy!” she swirled her hips and ground down on him with a sensuous purr coming from her throat.His hands fell from her nipples as his body went rigid and he raised his hips, coming hard while yelling out her name.“God dammed right!” she shouted as she felt his hot spurts inside of her and then her climaxed toppled her as she grasped the hardness of his chest with her fingers and squeezed his nipples.“AHHH!” he yelled out with a pain filled pleasure.Brea was breathing hard as she collapsed on top of her panting helpless cowboy.“Oh, Brea, baby!” he panted out with awe. “Hot fucking DAYUM!”Brea giggled and kissed him soundly on the mouth. Then she pulled her mouth away. “I can’t believe you did all this!”He blinked at her, still staring at her with astonishment. “Well, I can’t believe you just rode me hard and put me

Angel flinched from the finger grasping, loving every twinge he caused. Just like her dream! It was as if she dreamt it and it came true! She realized she panted too heavily and was soaking wet already. She knew she would never last through even a few more minutes of this, without coming violently. She bent way over and spread her cheeks, obediently opening her pussy, hoping to tempt him, so that he might allow her to please him when the eventual climax she almost felt right now, came to fruition.Bastien ignored her offering, walking around her to stand in front of her.Shaking fiercely, she watched him unzipping his leather pants. “I am going to say I’m sorry first—Bastien,” she whispered with a little fear in her quavering voice. Her body remained in place with her bent over offering, though every muscle she had was tense and expectant.Chuckling, he reached out and twisted one of her nipples as it hung down. “For what, sweet Angel?” He tugged his pants lower and his hard, magnifice

“My favorite part was where you said…” his voice slowed, “…you would come while on your knees if I shoved my cock down your throat. I grew so hard at your words. I’ve been with some soumis—submissive women and they never made me as hard as you did that night.”As he spoke, Angel was afraid she would start hyperventilating.“Do you remember what you said, Angel?” he asked and flipped her around to face him.She tried to swallow and found that her throat had closed while she gazed into his eyes. She shook her head.“Yes, I think you do. I seemed to remember a list of things you liked.” He stepped closer.“I like it rough?” she offered.“Tell me again,” he seethed as he held her arms.She sighed and let her head fall back. “I like to worship, while…”Bastien let her go.She stumbled back.His expression looked furious. “When did you know him?”Angel sucked in her breath.Chapter ElevenWith a cruel swift skill, Bastien reached out and ripped her silk dress, pulling and tearing at it unti

Angel’s body slumped down entirely.Bastien turned and held her up.She was staring at the man who moved toward them. Dev? The hallway spun around her and she stared back over at Bastien.He looked a bit alarmed, but like usual, he seemed to keep his cool.“Bon jour, Bastien!” Devareaux called. He grabbed Bastien by the upper arms and squeezed.Angel was a slumping bag of winded shock as she gaped.“Where have you been hiding yourself?” Dev asked while entirely ignoring Angel.Bastien shrugged. “Vacation.”Dev swiveled his gaze over to Angel. “And is this the vacation, oui?”Angel stood frozen. He doesn’t even recognize me!“Yes, oui. I guess you could say that.” Bastien smiled.His father reached out and took her limp hand. He bowed close and gently kissed her palm.Angel stood like a statue.At her rude-like behavior, Bastien cleared his throat with impatience. “This is Angel.”The older Frenchman’s eyes seemed to flicker at the name. “Yes, indeed. An angel.”She almost snatched her

Angel had said nothing about the car she’d never seen before. She wanted to make jokes about what else he may have up his lofty sleeve, but somehow, she knew by his silence that he was preoccupied by something. Since, his speech about the stepfather and her mother thing, it couldn’t be that. He seemed far away somehow, distanced by a distraction that she’d never seen in him before. Is he nervous about the club, my showy dress? Is he about to dump me off on one of his many staff members? She was crushing her little black clutch purse and realized she may just break the little bag as she let go of it some.Her eyes rose up to the flashing sign above them. Blinking, she leaned forward and peered up. The sign had the same design as Bastien’s tattoo. Instantly, she remembered where she’d seen it. She couldn’t breathe. Brandon had taken her here the first night they were in Paris. It was a kink club, full of dancers and people in leather. Her stomach dropped as she turned to look at the ver

“That she didn’t care about you and your sister. What happened to you or where you were.”“W-why did you m-marry her?” The stuttering question popped out before she could stop it.He lowered his head. “I wasn’t fooled by her if that is your meaning. I have an astute sense about people.”Angel shook her head. “That is not an answer.”“My father.”Angel was lost again.“My father was with her.” He sighed.“Oh, my God! This just gets worse and worse!” She stood up.Grabbing her hands, he looked into her eyes. “She got pregnant by my father. He wouldn’t marry her. He is like this. Irresponsible and carefree. It is his main fault or failing in life, I should say. Rather than handle the… what do you say, public courts and paparazzi… I made a deal with her.”Angel felt shame course through her. Knowing her mother, she had set it all up. She could see now that Bastien was wealthy. Her mother would have gone after both men to get the money. Now, him hiding his wealth from her made sense. He sh

Walking over to the closet, he took out a garment-bagged hanger and placed it on the bed. “As I said, we will be late, as the sun has now dipped and Paris will light up with a world of delight.”Angel gulped down all the insecurity and decided to match his casual attitude. “Okay.” She set the unfinished tray aside and got up.Bastien took the tray and walked to the door. “I will be getting ready as well.” He shut the door behind him.It was funny how after those first three days, he’d become the ultimate gentleman. He never saw her nude again, he’d made sure not to. No more kisses to her skin. No more anything really except he would hold her hand. No wonder she called him sweet. Not that he’d liked that when she said it a few minutes ago. She shrugged; well, why would he try to see her nude or hit on her liked she’d hoped? He didn’t seem attracted to her, so what would be the point?Sighing, she stared down at the dress.This creation of material was the most sophisticated, but also t

The smile falls from his lips, and he shakes his head. “Soo will be in to take you to the car. Have a nice life, princess.”I say nothing as he walks out, slamming the door behind him. It’s obvious he’s angry, but so am I. If only he had changed his mind, we wouldn’t be here right now.Some of the righteous fury fizzles from my blood. A tremor takes over, and a wave of nausea follows. Oh, god.I double over, bracing my hands on my knees. It’s hard to breathe, and my head is swimming against the heavy pounding of my heartbeat. How did this happen? I was supposed to convince him to keep me. I’d completely misjudged his intentions, hoping that he would give up the revenge and money for something more.Stupid. I was so stupid. The creaking of the door as it opens causes me to glance up and jump back. I’m half expecting Nicolo to come walking through the door, but I know better than to hope for such a thing. Instead, a familiar face saunters into the room.I’m not dumb enough to relax, not

I shouldn’t love how protective he sounds or the tight hold he keeps on my neck. It’s almost soothing to feel owned by him. The devil you know, right?I can’t afford to disillusion myself. He walked me through a warehouse full of people who want to buy me. As far as I’m concerned, this place can burn to the ground with everyone inside it.He leans in and whispers, “Behave.”I put on my fakest worst smile, and not bothering to lower my voice say, “Fuck you.”His hand tightens on my neck for a flash, and then he shoves me away, releasing me completely. I guess I hit a nerve, but what does he expect? Me to sink to my knees and let him fuck my face again? After everything I’ve endured, even after the things he said to me, I know he has feelings. He’s just trying to hide them so no one else sees, especially me. Nicolo might not want to believe it, but he cares for me. And he hasn’t realized yet, but he’s killed any chance for me to return his affection now.Air swirls around my legs, and a

Soo approaches and stares down at it. “Nic picked it out personally. He wants you to wear it, so you can either put it on, or he has other ideas in mind. And as you know, he has a vivid imagination.” His tone is bland, and I can’t tell if he cares or not.He continues before I can think of something both witty and cutting to reply with. “Sorry I missed you yesterday. I stopped by your room to give you those pants and coffee, but you were …detained.”I snort, and my cheeks flood with heat. “You mean I was fucking your boss.”He picks up the dress and deftly loosens the straps carefully and almost methodically. “He’s not my boss. He’s my best friend. We’re partners.”Once he finishes, he kneels at my feet to help me into the material, but I retreat. “No, thank you. I can get dressed on my own. I don’t need your help.”His arched eyebrow and deadpan look tell me exactly what he thinks before he even opens his mouth. “You’re about to be sold to someone who will most certainly keep you wit

I hold the phone up, so she can see the image. When her brain processes, she reels away in shock.“This is what happens when you think love is real. People die. For some idiotic reason, you agreed to marry this fool. And he took that weakness for himself. Your fiancé wanted money more than he wanted a wife. When he drugged you and sold you to me, I thought it was enough to cover a percentage of his debt. This is what happened when he pushed for more, trying to see how much he could weasel out of me.” I close the phone and toss it on my desk. “Also, I didn’t like his face. Don’t mistake me for a kind man. I’m not. You’re here to make me money, and if you can’t do that, you’re expendable. Do you understand?” I put more bite in my tone than usual, for both our benefits.When she nods, I turn to the tray and what is left of my breakfast. “Get the fuck out until I come find you tonight.”She doesn’t leave right away, and I shovel some eggs into my mouth, pretending she doesn’t exist or tha

Some part, deep down, hates the hurt flashing across her face and how she keeps trying to master it and failing.“We had sex yesterday. I’m not a virgin. Can’t you find some other woman to put up for sale, another virgin even?”Now who is lying to herself? “You’re telling me you’d be fine if I went out, plucked another virgin off the street, and sold her in your stead? You wouldn’t feel one bit of guilt for me doing that?”“Then cancel the event altogether.”“I can’t, and I won’t. Did you really think last night would change anything?”She stays quiet for long enough that I don’t even need an answer. I grab the piece of toast she’d been eating and shove it in my mouth. If only to keep from getting up and offering comfort. Something I don’t even do for my own brother.“I guess I should have made things more clear yesterday. What we did was fucking, and it was more of a punishment to get you back in line than anything else.”Her eyes narrow, and she stalks forward. “And me waking up in

It still smells of sex, and I’ll never be able to look at my desk again without seeing her on top of it. I don’t look at where I fucked her last night, but I open the windows to let the chilly morning air refresh the room before Sarah stops in with my breakfast.I focus on the paperwork and the plan Soo must have left on my desk during the night. It’s a stack of papers as thick as my thumb. Each page shows the men and women who are attending tonight’s auction. Also, where their allegiances lie and how to sweet talk them. I’ve never been the sweet-talking type, but I’ve learned in order to finish this mission.The thought of revenge, finally, after so many years, seems like a hazed dream. Something I’ve wished for over and over is finally within my grasp. And I can’t let whatever I feel for Celia jeopardize it. I’m a big enough man to accept I have feelings. How can I not when she’s everything I want in a woman? So giving of herself, even to a monster like me. It doesn’t matter though,