Jezebel – Life in a gilded cage isn't all it's cracked up to be – especially if the whole purpose of the cage is to keep me a virgin till I'm ready to be sacrificed to the man of my father's choosing. I want out, and don’t think I haven’t tried. It's not that easy with daddy's Brotherhood guards all over the place. But that doesn’t mean I want to trade one cage for another. And, let's face it, I have no idea how to live on my own. I've never had the chance. Now I'm not sure I want to learn, because my new jailer – err, rescuer -- is the sexiest man I’ve ever known. El Diablo's not the monster everyone’s made him out to be. But can I tame the beast of a man without losing my heart? All I want for Christmas is a chance to find out…
El Diablo -- I went hunting for a victim. Instead, I found a Christmas Angel. She's the daughter of my enemy, used as a pawn in a deadly game of chess. All I really wanted was the Brotherhood out of Palm Beach. Instead I found an innocent who brings out a side of me I'd thought long buried and gone. But Jezebel's younger than my own daughter, and just as much trouble. And I’m El Diablo -- a title I earned heart and soul. I'm so not what she needs. And now she’s under my protection in the Black Reign compound. She should be completely off limits. I won't let the Brotherhood take her back and force her to give up her dreams. But who's going to protect her from me?
Esther glanced around her, then took my elbow and moved me toward one corner of the room where there weren’t many people. “What’s going on between you two?”
My guard went up instantly. I didn’t want the other women in the clubhouse thinking there was anything between Liam and me. “I have no idea what you mean,” I said evasively.
“Oh, come on, Jez. You’re living with him! The club girls say he’s not taken any of them to bed since you got here. Are the two of you a couple?”
“Not at all,” I said dismissively. “In fact, he made it perfectly clear to me he’s not interested in me, and that he’s not interested in a relationship with any woman.” I shrugged. “I guess he’s a free spirit.”
Esther’s laugh was merry and more than a little mischievous. “Then why does he come up behind you and wrap you up in his arms every time you’re in a room together?”
“Beats the fuck outta me.” I shrugged. “I’ve kissed him a couple of times, but he always stops, and he made it clear that sex with me is definitley not something he’s pursuing.” Kissed him a couple of times. Right. To say nothing of the mind-numbing orgasms he gave me two nights ago. No way I was spilling that, no matter how much I liked the other woman. As we talked, Celeste and Lyric approached with waves and friendly smiles.
Esther continued as the other two women joined us. “Did he say why?”
I waved her off. “It was all bullshit. I’m guessing it has something to do with our age and experience differences. I’ve lived in a gilded cage my whole life, and he’s been out living his. Any appeal I have to him would fade the second he takes my virginity, and I’m not too naive to admit it.”
“Who’re you guys talking about?” Lyric asked, her expression curious. “You got a man after you already, Jez?”
“El Diablo,” Esther said. “But I think Jez believes he’s just toying with her.”
Celeste frowned. “I’m sure it’s not like that. El Diablo is really a good man. I doubt he’d ever admit it, but he is.”
“Didn’t you tell me he offered to marry you when Wrath was being a douche?” I asked Celeste.
She grinned. “Yeah. I think that was more about Holly though. He wanted to make sure she was taken care of with her leukemia and all. He thought we needed a strong man to protect both of us and to make sure Holly got the care she needed.” She shook her head. “I believe he’d have gone through with it, but I also believe he did it more to make Wrath get his head out of his ass.”
“Maybe that’s what he’s doing with me. Though I have no idea who he’s trying to make jealous. The men in the compound barely talk to me. When they do, they make sure one of you girls or the children are with me.”
Lyric gave me a knowing smile. “That’s because El Diablo gives you ‘the look.’”
I frowned. “What look?”
“The one that lets every male with any modicum of sense know you’re his.” The girls burst into giggles, and I smiled.
“I doubt that’s the case,” I said. “Anyway, I’ve got guard duty tonight. I probably should get some sleep so I don’t fall asleep on the job.”
Liam chose that moment to appear in the doorway, scanning the room until his gaze landed on me. His grin was more than a little wicked. The woman giggled.
“Looks like you’re going to have to fight more than sleep,” Lyric said with a laugh. “In fact, I’d say you’d have better luck fighting sleep than keeping that man from seducing you tonight.”
“Trust me,” I said, “he’s not going to seduce me.”
“Uh huh.” Celeste grinned. “Keep telling yourself that.” They all three waved and sauntered off to help the kids decorate.
I frowned at Liam. “Are you trying to be cruel, or can you just not make up your mind?”
“It’s a process,” he answered with a smirk.
“Well you can just process the fact that I’m done with this. What the fuck?”
“That’s not what you were saying a couple of days ago.”
“Yeah? Well, that was before you left me high and dry for two days.” A stab of pain hit me, and I actually put my hand over my chest. “Have you been avoiding me? Because I already told you I wasn’t asking for permanent. I wasn’t even asking for anything after one that one time. I mean, surely you could have stood to be in my company one fucking night.”
“Trust me when I say I look forward to being in your company. I found it exceedingly enjoyable.” His smile was positively wicked. “But I hear you have a job?”
“I do,” I said, putting my shoulders back. “I’m making sure none of our decorations disappear.”
He gave me a knowing look. “I see. Well. If anyone can stop this Christmas Bandit that has the children so wound up, I’m certain it’s you.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss over my mouth. I shivered in reaction even as I pushed him away.
“Oh, no you don’t! Go away,” I said, making a shooing motion. “I’m done with all that!”
“We’ll see, beautiful Jezebel.”
Three friends, two cars, one hot weekend.
Sunny needed to relax and reset. Things at work had exploded, and she was at her wits' end. She needed free from a place she'd dedicated her life to because her boss--and lover--was never going to let her reach her potential. What's a girl to do? Get together with her best friends in the world.
ROAD TRIP!!
Naturally, things don't go as smoothly as she wanted. But, despite a few hiccups, the Florida Keys will work their magic. And, boy, it will be one hot weekend!
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Great cover, thanks for the review & excerpt.
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt.
ReplyDeletesounds like a fun one
ReplyDeleteSounds like a normal 'daughter of my enemy' story with a few twists.
ReplyDelete