Title:
Club
Pluto Series
Author:
Bella
Ross
Release
date: 2014
Genre:
Erotic
Romance
Book
Description:
One
determined Journalist….
Freelance
journalist, Genevieve Parker, has justbeen handed the biggest story
of her career. But there’s one problem…Goingundercover as a
submissive in one of the most exclusive BDSM clubs in the world was
more than she bargained for. But that’s nothing compared to the man
she meets there. Andreas Contos.
Her assignment. Gorgeous. Powerful. Mysterious.
Genevieve
is fascinated…intrigued. But does her intense attraction and
willingness to go places with him she’s never gone before sexually
really have to do with writing her exposé? Feeling confused and
overwhelmed, every instinct tells her to run before her professional
facade comes crashing down…before she has to choose between
obligation and desire…
One
elusive billionaire…
´
Greek
billionaire, Andreas Contos, is more than he seems. Between the
powerful company he keeps and the secrets that lurk behind closed
doors, trusting anyone is out of the question – especially the lush
and sensual woman he just met. But there is something different about
Genevieve – a guarded nature he’s anxious to penetrate. Unable to
resist her, Andreas proceeds in taking her under his wing for the
night to show her his world – a world of exquisite pleasure. As the
two of them get deeper in exploring the eroticism of mind and body,
danger watches them from the shadows…
Book
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Lifestyle journalist
Genevieve Parker stood in the shadows to the right of the bar and did
her best to tame her growing anxiety. How the hell had this happened?
She was in Dubai –
in the middle of an arid desert – on the southern coast of the
Arabian Peninsula just south of Abu Dhabi, about to embark on the
worst nightmare of her life. Club Pluto – the most exclusive BDSM
club in the world.
She gave herself a
moment to calm down, pulled air into her lungs, held it, and exhaled
slowly. But her pulse was still humming, her body trembling.
She briefly looked
around. Her eyes adjusted to the subdued light, and she could finally
see into the dark and shadowy corners of the club. What had been
hidden when she first walked in was now fully revealed.
Discomfort gripped
her belly, as her eyes swept over the opulence placed over three
floors with unrivalled views of Dubai Marina. The shimmering skyline
was breathtaking. The mood inside surreal. A kaleidoscope of colors
and textures and sounds. The soothing darkness, erotic rather than
romantic, was made more so by the golden glow of candles scattered
about and red-toned lamps on tables and along the back ledge of the
bar. She’d never been in a place this beautiful, rich or decadent.
The overhead red and gold chandeliers bathed the sumptuous space in a
sultry haze. From the burnished gold walls and eclectic statutes, to
the jeweled colored velvet cushions, rich wood finishes and Asian
flower arrangements everywhere was a delicious compliment to the
well-dressed movers and shakers in her midst. The layout and décor
were simply magnificent, especially the ornate Chinese screens that
had sectioned off the sprawling space into intimate corners and
niches for romantic tête-à-têtes. It added an air of mystery to
the place, a touch of the forbidden. She could only imagine the kind
of shenanigans that went on behind them.
As she looked around
some more, the club was buzzing but not to capacity. Perhaps it was
still too early for that. But many were already lounging in groups on
red velvet couches, while several huddled around the bar, and the
rest were sitting at small cafe style tables scattered about with
drinks in hand murmuring their private conversations which was barely
audible over the erotic trancelike music coming from the wall
speakers. Each one, she noted, was totally at ease with the unabashed
sensual and erotic energy around them. Of course they would be. This
was Club Pluto. People came here to indulge their deepest fantasies
or watch others fulfill theirs. Although she doubted that anyone
beside the VIP members really knew what went on the third floor.
Genevieve cast her
gaze to the floor, forcing her eyes shut and trying to calm her
racing pulse. It was no use.
She groaned
inwardly.
I
need you to cover the story Parker, her
boss had said. Due
to a broken leg, Suzanne won’t be able to complete the
assignment. You’re the only one available to do it. Larry
Tams had peered at her with a stern frown.
At the time she’d
answered yes, absolutely she’d cover for Suzanne. But that was
before she’d known what the assignment was. And where. And what it
required.
Now, agreeing had
been a big mistake. Big. Huge.
Oh,
God.
What was she doing here? She was a respected freelance lifestyle
journalist, writing features and articles about art and culture and
politics, and not about BDSM sub-culture of whips and chains! What
had Tams been thinking? Never mind that, what the hell was Suzanne
thinking?
Apparently, Club
Pluto was the venue of choice for billionaires with dark and kinky
urges. And the hefty membership fee they paid ensured their privacy
and bought them the privilege of indulging those urges. Membership
was by invite only. Shrouded in secrecy, the main purpose for Club
Pluto was kept within the tight confines of its elite members. Men
with more money than God. Most of its patrons, if not all, had no
idea what Club Pluto was really about. Its buzz as one of the hottest
clubs in the world, catering to the uber-cool and monied crowd, was
enough to keep inquiring minds at bay. A clever strategy if there
ever was one. But Genevieve didn’t care about all that. There was
only one member in particular that she’d come to inquire about
tonight.
Greek billionaire,
Andreas Contos, turned world class philanthropist was on every
journalist’s wish list. The dream interview. Rumors and speculation
about his past abounded. CIA. Assassin. Mercenary. Thus the
intrigue. But they were only rumors mostly because members of the
press had yet to prove them. As for his status as a Dominant, well,
that was yet unproven too. But according to Suzanne, he was leader of
the pack. If her claim was true, then Andreas Contos was going to be
one hell of a headline.
From a journalistic
point of view she could see the fascination. But from a personal one,
who the hell cared? Did the world really need another exposé about a
wealthy man with bizarre sexual tastes? Hardly in her opinion.
The claws of
irritation gripped her insides as she steeled herself for what she
was about to do. It was a job, an assignment. How could she have
refused? She needed the money. Hell, with the state of the economy
right now every penny was gold. As a freelance journalist being picky
or fussy was a breath away from living on the streets. Unless the
assignment risked life and limb, refusing would’ve been downright
stupid.
She knew nothing
about the lifestyle nor had any interest in it. However, their
readers would. The audience of ‘The World’ magazine, a popular
monthly covering lifestyle, travel and culture, had eclectic tastes
and appetites. The story would titillate, fascinate and push the
boundaries of sexual taboos. As far as she was concerned, it was just
plain weird.
Not that she was a
prude. Sure, she was a small-town girl, but she’d lived in New York
long enough to have stumbled upon a few lovers. Not that she was all
that great in the sac. Really, making love was rather overrated, at
least for her. Obviously the men she chose either didn’t know what
pleased a woman or they weren’t interested in pleasing her. She
didn’t know and hadn’t cared enough to ask.
Eventually, she’d
resigned herself to the fact that men didn’t really want or desire
her. They preferred women with trimmer bodies, who were uninhibited,
and more sexually inclined. That realization had hurt like a bitch.
She may not have been a modern day Aphrodite but at least she was a
good person. Smart, sensible, practical, hardworking, unselfish.
Relatively average, if not attractive. She gave all she could to her
mom, her job. It was enough, right?
But evidently such
qualities did not give men erections. As a result, her sex life was
non-existent. She’d learned to channel those energies into her work
instead. And besides, the idea of sexual exploration and
experimentation sounded exhausting and time consuming. Who the hell
had the time in a 24/7 world anyway?
Yeah, her sexual
experiences were limited for this assignment. But her experience in
her job was not and therefore she would not allow her biases to
dictate the outcome. After all, she was a professional.
This assignment
demanded that of her. In a big way. Integrity was a central part of
her core and she’d be damned if a few niggling fears and
insecurities would prevent her from completing it.
For the past five
years work had come first. She’d garnered a reputation for being
persistent, thorough and cool. And those adjectives, she decided,
were the reasons for staying put because she was going to get what
she’d come for. The time wasn’t going to be wasted. All she
needed was an hour. Sixty minutes. In that time she could gather
enough information for a concise and very exclusive article about
Andreas Contos.
Well actually, more
like an exposé. It would be a coup, the biggest of her career, and
maybe, just maybe help put her on the map. It was true that she only
confined her skill to articles and profiles, but at heart she was a
storyteller, a part she had yet to explore, and had relegated that
hope to the ‘someday’ box within her mind. As she had done with
so many other things.
Oh, God.
Undercover at a
BDSM club.
Fabulous!
She pushed out a
steadying breath and wrapped her rigid fingers around the strap of
her navy blue purse. All she had to do was don her voyeuristic writer
persona and observe from a safe distance. She wasn’t here to
participate, after all, only watch, file and absorb.
Not that she judged
people who were into BDSM. No, of course not. It was the extremes she
questioned. The means to attain pleasure. And most all, the element
of pain.
Why? Because her
father had been a sadistic bastard.
But now was not the
time to think about her abusive father. It was in the past and a
lifetime ago. The anger would wait, it wasn’t going anywhere
anytime soon. It hadn’t for nearly twenty years. But she’d
contained it, rolled mountains over it
Ever hear of
earthquakes, Genevieve?
Shrugging off those
thoughts, her eyes scanned the club once more, searching for the
mysterious Andreas Contos. Her eyes travelled to the back of the club
where a staircase rose up from the main floor in a circular fashion
and disappeared mysteriously into the far recesses of the building.
It reminded Genevieve of a labyrinth with ineffable depths. She knew
the play area was up there and so were the rooms which members had to
pay extra to use for private indulgences. She couldn’t even imagine
what was going on up there right now. But down here, beside the
subdued opulence and exclusive vibe, felt like a normal club at first
glance. Well kind of, if you removed the waitresses rushing about in
black, tight latex pants and red corsets, cinched so tight, Genevieve
wondered how they breathed. Otherwise everything looked on the up and
up.
Jesus.
How was she going to pull this undercover shit off? Just the thought
of such sexual activities taking place upstairs filled her with…with
what? Disgust? No, that was too harsh of a word for what she was
feeling. Curiosity? No, that wasn’t it either. Anticipation? No,
not quite. Turned on? She froze. She swallowed.
Oh, God.
Turned on? Really,
Genevieve? Was she nuts? Then again she stood in a BDSM club. That
realization created all sorts of funny feelings in her.
And then she saw
him. Those funny feelings instantly knotted in her stomach at the
sight of him.
He was sitting with
a few men in a spacious VIP booth that allowed plenty of room for the
five men, all above six feet tall, with shoulder spans to match. Was
stunning even the right word to describe him? She wondered. His hair
was dark as coal, thick and wavy, just long enough to brush the tip
of his shirt collar. His eyes, thanks to the angle of the club
lighting, showed green, vibrant as emeralds, like his aura. He was on
the end, probably because he had the widest shoulders and longest
legs. The white shirt he wore with his black slacks had to be
tailored for those shoulders. He reeked of money. And a man who sat
like that knew his net worth. But she wasn’t after his cash. Just
to observe him in action. If she ever got up the courage to leave the
corner that is.
“There you are.”
She snapped out of
her mental bubble to find herself facing a tall and powerful man. He
had dark, close-cropped hair and intense blue eyes, causing a shiver
to run over her skin. She could tell he noticed, but he remained
smooth, professional.
“I’m Tye Warner.
I just wanted to come by and meet you. Gary Newman called me earlier
to inform me that you would be coming to check out our club.”
“Yes.” Sort of
check out the club. Andreas Contos being the reason. The third floor
being the other. Once Suzanne had nailed down the billionaire’s
club of choice, she’d contacted Gary Newman, a politician and a
member at Club Pluto, and called in a favor. At first he’d been
reluctant, but Suzanne had harassed him for an invite until he
relented. Suzanne had enough dirt to have people do her bidding.
Yeah, she knew where all the bodies were buried. “Its been
interesting so far.”
“I know at first
sight its a lot to take in,” he said. “But there’s nothing to
be nervous about.” He ran a light, reassuring hand down her arm.
“We have security inside and out. The staff knows to keep a
diligent eye on VIP guests such as yourself. So you are safe.”
“Thank you,” she
replied. “That helps a little.”
“Good.” He
smiled. “So where do you want to start?”
“I…um. Well, I
don’t know…” Her gaze flickered, a brief flash. Still, Tye
shifted and determined exactly whom she’d been looking at.
“I see. Give me a
second.” And he was gone.
Even though she felt
awkward being left alone at the bar, she couldn’t help from noting
he had a fine walk. Leather pants fitted tight, black shirt tucked
in, the tight firm ass and the predatory grace of a panther commanded
the eye of every woman in the room.
Stopping at one
booth, he stroked a proprietary hand over a blue-eyed woman with red
hair. From the way her gaze heated, whatever he said to her was
obviously intimate. His eyes flamed in response. Stroking her hair
once more, he moved away and straight toward the table where
Genevieve’s target was sitting.
“Oh, shit, no…”
She stood,
paralyzed, as he put a hand on Andreas’ shoulder, leaning down to
his ear. If every man at that booth turned around and stared at her,
she was going to pretend a bomb was about to blow and dive behind the
bar for cover.
Andreas stilled,
glancing up at Tye. Then he shifted his gaze to her.
In
those few nervous seconds, Genevieve debated whether to meet his eyes
or not. Smile, not smile. Oh,
Jesus. This
is what she always did. Worried about her appearance whenever a man
looked her way. What, with her lush breasts, round hips, full ass, it
was a far cry from Victoria Secret model perfection. That was for
damn sure.
Men like him, she
knew, preferred beauty if not physical perfection in a woman. She
doubted he would like her. She’d heard the tales of submission that
went on here from Suzanne and she wasn’t the type to fall to her
knees before a man. She might fantasize about it, but she had too
much pride to actually do it. So since she didn’t qualify on either
count, she had to chill. This was only an undercover assignment and
not a love match. Not that a part of her couldn’t imagine what it
would be like to submit to a man like Andreas Contos but she was too
practical to indulge in such a fantasy.
Besides, he was way
out of her league. From Suzanne’s notes, she’d learned some of
the lingo associated with the lifestyle. Andreas was what those in
the lifestyle would call a true Dom, a naturally dominant man that
everyone automatically deferred to without being aware of it or
knowing why.
And Lord help her,
he was gorgeous. His face was flawlessly sculpted, chiseled jaw
dusted with stubble. Strong, proud, beautifully male. What would it
feel like to make love to a man like Andreas Contos? She frowned at
that. Hardly appropriate. And totally unlikely.
She kept her eyes on
anything but him. First she watched the people huddled around the bar
not too far from where she was standing, then the hot looking
waitresses serving food and drinks with machine like efficiency, then
a man and woman getting up from their table, arm in arm, heading to
the staircase. There was no doubt what was on their minds or where
they were going. It didn’t matter, just so long as she didn’t
look in Andreas Contos’ direction.
But it was useless.
She could feel his stare demanding her attention. Genevieve fought
the pull on instinct. Finally, she shifted her gaze and locked eyes
with him. His expression changed. It wasn’t quite a smile, and it
wasn’t quite amusement. It was something else. Approval.
While she knew she
was standing by the bar, people shuffling past her, music vibrating
beneath her feet and off the walls, it all melted away. Her breath
went short and she couldn’t be sure why her heart was pounding.
Fear, excitement, tension all went to battle. It was scary as hell.
And she stood still, like a deer caught in the headlights, blinded by
that hot, focused stare.
About the Author:
Bella
Ross is a writer with many passions, two of which are writing and
travelling. She wrote her first book (a novel) at eighteen a la
Jackie Collins. But back then, unbeknownst to her, life was about to
take her on a detour. As she set off on her new course, her dream of
writing took a backseat and her entrepreneurial spirit flourished
instead. But after many years of worldly pursuits, the urge to write
returned and the time was right to follow her bliss.
She
believes its never too late to follow your dreams/bliss. Her
books/stories are her first attempt at erotic romance. She loves the
genre and its endless creative possibilities. She likes pairing bold
and dynamic (Alpha) men with sexy and strong women – which in her
opinion – make for a hot and sizzling combination. With her love of
travel, it is no surprise that her ‘Wanderlust Series’ take place
in glamorous capitals or exotic locales around the world. Its the
perfect backdrop/setting for her characters to explore and indulge
their lusts and passions, loves and desires.
When
she’s not writing, she’s reading, or gallivanting all over
seeking new inspiration, or people watching while enjoying a latte at
Starbucks and jotting down ideas.
She
loves to hear from readers, and looks forward to interacting through
her various social media channels. You can also sign up for her
mailing list to be notified about new releases and promotional
offers.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/writerbellaross
Giveaway
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