Love tangle, p.1
Love Tangle, page 1
part #4 of The Seduction Factor Series
The
SEDUCTION FACTOR
Book 4— Love Tangle
Scarlett Avery
Copyright © 2015 by Scarlett Avery
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.
Scarlett Avery / Absolutely Naughty Publishing
Edited by RJ Locksley
Proofread by Chrissy Becker
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental. This book is for sale to adults over 18.
The Seduction Factor / Scarlett Avery.
ISBN 978-0-9940233-3-9
Foreword
I can't thank you enough for purchasing this sizzling read.
I’m absolutely passionate about what I do. Once I start writing, I just can't stop.
It's taking me a whole lifetime to get to the point where I’m able to live out my dream every single day.
The captivating stories and the enigmatic characters live with me throughout the writing process. I think you'll quickly notice how much care and attention I put into each one of my romance novels.
Another thing you’ll discover about me is how much I love my readers!
To thank you for buying this romance novel, I’d love for you to lose yourself in even more sultriness, sexiness and seduction!
When you sign-up today, I’ll send an exclusive
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Sign-up TODAY! www.RomanceBooksRock.com
***
The Seduction Factor Series
Book 1—Casual Encounter
Book 2—The Billionaire's Desire
Book 3—Broken
Book 4—Love Tangle
Book 5—Sinful Desires
Book 6—Always & Forever
***
BOOK 4—LOVE TANGLE
Chapter One
Dylan, my ex-boyfriend, has ambushed me outside my home and he’s angry as hell at the fact I broke things off with him a few weeks ago. I’m not sure if it’s the alcohol talking, but if I don’t get away from his claws, I fear he’ll make due on his promise to toss me into the back of his SUV and rape me. I really didn’t see this demonic side to Dylan the whole time I fucked him. It’s such bad luck my street is deserted when I could really use the help of a Good Samaritan to save me from this frightening situation. If I don’t find a way to escape, I really believe with all my heart he’ll hurt me.
“Please, Dylan, stop,” I beg.
There’s no way in hell I’m going down without a fight.
“Hold on to your plea, Ciara. You’ll need it when I nail you. I’m going to jam my cock so deep up your ass you’re going to scream for mercy,” he says before crushing my lips.
“You never wanted to have anal sex when we were together. You despised the idea of sticking your cock up my ass.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to hurt you, but I see how foolish I was to want to be gentle with you. I’m introducing your tight little asshole to my big cock tonight. No more Mister Nice Guy for you, Ciara.”
He’s really gone psycho. “Dylan, you’re hurting me. Let go,” I say, turning my head to the side to avoid another kiss.
“I know I’m hurting you. I want to inflict pain. I want you to hurt as much as you’ve hurt me.”
“You’ve lost your marbles.”
“You think you’re so tough talking back. I can’t wait to hear you when I gag you.”
“Let go of me, you animal,” I scream out, praying for someone to hear me.
His fingers dig deeper into my wrists and I want to spit in his face, but I’m afraid this will only infuriate him more.
A familiar voice speaks behind him.
“Look at you two rascals. For the love of God, get a room.”
It’s Harley. We’re both startled by the appearance of my best friend, the sexy little blonde I left behind at a bar earlier this evening. I tilt my head to the side to make sure I’m not hallucinating and I’m so relieved when she smiles compassionately at me.
Dylan glances behind him before returning his focus to me. “Harley, go home and leave us alone,” he shouts over his shoulder.
“Dylan, you can’t possibly be thinking of having rough sex without inviting me? You know I rock a threesome like no other and I do love it when a guy is forceful.”
“Go away. I’m warning you. You’re not invited. This is between your best friend and me.”
Harley glances my way, reassuring me with her eyes, before continuing her conversation with the drunk holding me prisoner.
“Come on now, Dylan. I’m wearing the sexiest little gold number under this dress. I got it in LA last week. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you about it, so why don’t we all go upstairs and I can show it to you,” she says, taking a step forward.
“You take another step, Harley, and I’ll choke her.”
She stops and places her hands on her waist like a schoolteacher ready to reprimand an unruly student.
“Dylan Thomas Prescott, what are you doing? I’ve known Ciara for a long time and the expression on her face isn’t a come-fuck-me-now face.”
“She broke my heart. I’m sure she must have told you all about it over martinis. I bet the two of you must’ve had a good laugh at my expense. Well, it’s payback time.”
“You’re right, she did tell me all about it—she’s my best friend. It wasn’t over martinis, we were drinking a bottle of red and she was heartbroken by the fact she didn’t feel the two of you were a good match. She wanted to break things off because she didn’t want to prevent you from finding true love.”
Wow, she’s embellishing the story a bit, but sure, I’ll roll with her version of the facts.
“What did you say?” For the first time in fifteen minutes, Dylan loosens his grip and takes a step back. “You were heartbroken at the idea of letting me go?” His eyes have softened and he doesn’t look like a menacing beast.
“I agonized over the best way to break things off, Dylan,” I respond, praying my answer will convince him to let me go.
“Ciara thinks the world of you. Do you want her to remember you this way, Dylan? From where I’m standing, it looks like you’re threatening her and trying to hurt her. What happened to the kind-hearted Dylan I know?”
“I thought she had dumped me for another guy, Harley,” he wails.
“Ciara? You must be kidding. With the way this woman’s business is exploding and her new roster of international clients, she won’t have time to date for another decade,” Harley masterfully lies.
“So she didn’t leave me for another man?”
“Dylan, I’ve been trying to tell you this for fifteen minutes,” I say, forcing a smile to hide my nervousness. “I’ve never been one who needed a backup plan to leave a guy. I think we’re entitled to love and I didn’t feel what we shared was heading there. You’re such an incredible guy, I wanted to allow you to go out there and find the perfect one for you.”
I don’t know if my words did the trick or if the effects of the alcohol are subsiding, but Dylan lets go of my wrists and takes several steps back.
“I’m such an idiot. I thought you dumped me for someone else. I didn’t think you really felt we didn’t have a future together,” he says with remorse.
“Dylan, I tried telling you this for weeks before I left for Toronto, but you always ignored me.”
Harley gestures for me to get away from the SUV and to come stand beside her under the city lights. I take a shaky step towards my friend, but Dylan stops me in my tracks.
“Ciara, I’m sorry I scared you. I was so angry. I wanted you to acknowledge us and I wanted you to listen to me. I guess I wanted you to see my pain.” He hides his face in his hands and sobs like a baby. “Can you ever forgive me for acting like a complete hot-headed jerk?”
“Dylan, you were hurt and you scared the hell out of me. But I understand where you’re coming from. If you never harass me like this ever again, I’ll consider this as a mistake and we can forget this ever happened,” I say, relieved he’s calmed down.
He shakes his heads as he wipes away his tears of guilt. “Harley, I wasn’t going to really hurt her. You know I’m a kind person,” he pleads.
“Hey, Dylan, I told Ciara from the first day we went out on our double date you were the most amazing guy she had ever hooked up with and I still stand by my words. We all mess up—including me.” Harley smiles.
“Dylan, you shouldn’t go home alone. Why don’t I call a cab and you can go spend the night at your sister’s. You should be with someone to process your feelings about us,” I say, worried I might set him off again.
“Ciara is right, Dylan. Leave your car here and come back refreshed after a good night’s rest.”
“Yeah. I’m going to go to my sister’s, but I’ll get my brother-in-law to come for the SUV in the morning. I’d be too embarrassed to bump into you after the way I’ve acted.”
“Let me call a cab for you.” I turn to Harley and mouth thank you before opening my handbag to grab my phone.
“Thanks,” he answers in a flat tone. “I’ll text my sister to let her know I need to crash on her couch.”
“Oh, no, where did I put my phone? I must have forgotten it at the lo
“Why do you think I grabbed a cab here? I have your phone in my bag. I realized it when I was searching for my own phone. I figured you’d need it so I made a detour.” Harley raises an eyebrow as she flashes me a complicit look.
Now I understand why she came to my rescue. She was returning my phone. “Silly me for leaving my phone behind. I guess it gave me a chance to hug you again,” I say with a lump in my throat. If Harley hadn’t shown up, things might have turned out quite differently.
Once we see Dylan off, Harley and I hug each other. I allow myself to finally exhale and let out the fear I’ve been holding in for the past thirty minutes.
“Oh, honey, are you okay?”
“Harley, thank God you grabbed my phone. I honestly think he would have hurt me.”
“Yeah. He looked pretty menacing. When I got out of the cab and walked towards your place, I thought you were kissing your sexy Danish guy who’d paid you a surprise visit, but when I heard Dylan shouting, I quickly figured out what was happening.”
“You saved me. Dylan was livid.”
“Why don’t I come up with you and spend the night at your place. I have to leave early tomorrow to change for an eight-thirty meeting, but I’d be too worried to let you sleep here alone tonight.”
“Harley, you don’t have to. Go home. I’ll be fine. I can always go to my sister’s or my dad’s.”
“Do you want to alarm them?
“Good point. My father would most likely call the police, then he’d wake my mom in the middle of the night in Barcelona and if Diego ever finds out about this, he’ll be on the next plane to kick Dylan’s ass. He’s very protective of the women in his life.”
“If he comes around again, call Diego so he can kick his ass, but I’ll make sure I’m not wearing five-inch heels so I can take a turn and kick some sense into him.”
“He better not pull this shit again.”
“End of story. I insist on spending the night. You’re my best friend and the episode of your love life I witnessed was way too much drama for one night,” she says, wrapping her arm around mine and guiding me up the stairs to my home. “I’ll take a rain check with Darius and let him know I have a friend who needs me.” She flashes me an innocent smile.
“You’ve already connected with the black guy I saw you with at the bar tonight?” I’m amazed at how quickly she works her magic.
“We’ve only texted, but it’s already been hot and heavy. Man, he’s a sexting god. Let’s not forget, I’ve officially been single for two whole weeks. I totally need to get laid. Not to mention, it takes you way less time to seduce a guy.”
“Point well taken.”
We both laugh.
BOOK 4—LOVE TANGLE
Chapter Two
Shit. Is my phone ringing? Where did I put it? What time is it?
I reach out to grab my phone on my night table and I gasp when I see it’s only five in the morning. Who’s calling me at this ungodly hour? It’s Nikolaj.
“Hey, is everything all right? It’s really early here in New York,” I say, still groggy from my short night.
“You’re asking me if everything is all right?”
Oh God, he’s speaking so loudly.
“I did everything I could to wait until morning to call you after I received your alarming text about your asshole of an ex-boyfriend. I unfortunately got your text when I was in the middle of a dreadful number-crunching meeting with our biggest distributors in Japan and my phone was off. I only got your text three hours after you had sent it and I nearly put my fist through a door.”
Oh, yeah. I might have mentioned Dylan paid me a visit and wanted to play rough. “I didn’t sleep well at all and I forgot I had texted you and shared so many details about last night.”
“I’ve been foaming at the mouth since I read your text and the only reason why I haven’t sent a few beefy guys over to Dylan’s place to take care of him for laying hands on you is because I don’t know his fucking surname,” Nikolaj roars.
My God, he’s so mad. “Nikolaj, calm down,” I say, sitting up in my bed as I pull the sheets up to cover my naked breasts. “Even if I had given you his last name, it wouldn’t have fixed things.”
“What an idiot. How can he lay hands on a woman?”
“First off, he was quite drunk and he didn’t hit me. He was a bit rough and had I been wearing something different, I would have taken him on.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t wearing combat gear. I was wearing five-inch heels and a tight pencil skirt. I couldn’t run away and I wasn’t able to yank my knee up and crush his balls.”
“I’m sorry, but him being drunk and you not wearing your US Army combat uniform are no justifications for him acting like a complete moron!”
“He was really drunk, Nikolaj. This is really out of character for him.”
“I don’t give a damn how drunk he was. What he did speaks volumes about his character. Is your best friend Harley still at your place?”
“Yeah, she must still be sleeping. She’s going to get up soon because she has an early-morning meeting.”
“Are you going to the office?”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty exhausted and I’m still a bit shaky from last night. I think I’m going to work from home. I might go get a massage to wind down.”
“You cannot stay at your place alone tonight, Ciara.” His voice is full of concern.
“I’ll be fine. Not to mention Dylan knows where my dad and sister live—so it’s not as if I can hide from him.” I’m going to have to tell my family about this. Both my dads are going to take turns breaking Dylan’s skull. “I don’t think you need to worry so much. I’m sure he must feel like a jackass right about now.”
“Your words bring me little comfort, love,” Nikolaj says in a low intense voice.
“I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself,” I lie. After last night, I’m not so sure.
“I understand, but you’re with me now, so why don’t you let me take care of you?”
He’s being so protective. I bring my hand up to my mouth to hide my smile. I love the way he said I’m with him now. His assertiveness is so sexy.
“What are you going to do? Hire two men in blue and post them at my front door?” I laugh aloud.
“Danish men do things a little differently. I made arrangements right after I read your text and I’m on my way to the airport as we speak. I’ll be in New York City before the end of the day. If your coward ex-boyfriend wants to get rough, he can speak to my fist.”
“You’re flying back here? But you barely landed in Tokyo,” I blurt out, dumbfounded he’d bring his jet back to the city to be my knight in shining armor.
“My directors can take it from here and conclude the negotiations in Japan and in South Korea. My only preoccupation is to get back to North America as quickly as possible so I can be by your side. I know you can take care of yourself, but you’re mine now and Dylan put his hands on the wrong woman.”
I’m so used to taking care of myself I’ve forgotten how it feels to allow a guy to step in and take charge like this. “Does that mean I’ll be able to sleep in your arms tonight?”
“You can count on it, love.”
BOOK 4—LOVE TANGLE
Chapter Three
How can it already be ten o’clock in the morning? I must have fallen asleep after my conversation with Nikolaj.
I flip the covers off of me and I jump out of bed ready to take on the day. A folded note lies on my night table.
Hey, Ci,
You were sleeping like a baby and after last night I didn’t want to wake you up. I’m off now and I have a full day of meetings, but why don’t we meet later? If you want, I’m happy to come over tonight again and sleep over. If you need to talk, call me. I love you.
-- Harley
She’s my little blonde angel. I grab my phone to text her.
