Mason Brady has suppressed his Dominant nature ever since a disastrous relationship that left him broken. But when his brother convinces him to rejoin The Chase, the sprawling game of domination and submission Mason founded years before, he relishes the role. Until he captures Evelyn, an unwitting passerby.
Now Evelyn is crying rape, and Mason is racked by guilt. He’s certain he’ll convince her it was a misunderstanding, but he must hold her until she trusts him. Evelyn has her own angle: she’ll play along with Mason’s kidnapping until she’s fooled him into believing she’s forgiven him. Then she’ll seek her revenge once he releases her.
In the ensuing game of cat and mouse, they ride the lines between capture, consent, and love.
A scorching hot love story!
I will read anything J.B. Brooks writes. Her ability to use a wide variety of words and non-cliche phrases holds my attention. The plots flow smoothly and at a steady pace, and the love scenes are smokin'. This story was no exception!
I've read a lot of romances, but the circumstances that brought Evelyn and Mason together were, by far, the most unique I have encountered! It's one of those situations where the coincidences all line up so perfectly that maybe, just maybe, Fate was trying to tell them something from the start.
All characters were, in my opinion, very well-written. I would even love to read a story featuring minor character Owen (Mason's brother)!
Evelyn was pretty realistic; she wasn't an idiot or a "drama queen" (ha....you'll get that joke after you read the book), and I loved her sass.
Mason is the prime example of "I'm not guilty, just at the wrong place at the wrong time." His remorse was endearing, but he was no idiot either. He and Evelyn engage in a battle of wits that makes for some pretty interesting situations. Mason is also INCREDIBLY sexy, and I couldn't think of a better guy to accidentally kidnap someone.
The inclusion of Stockholm Syndrome was a very clever catalyst for the love that blooms between Evelyn and Mason. It adds an intelligent flavor to the story, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant!
The ending had a few twists that I was NOT expecting, and the happily-ever-after scene was a perfect fit for Evelyn and Mason. This book was just incredibly well done, and I loved every word!
***I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I will read anything J.B. Brooks writes. Her ability to use a wide variety of words and non-cliche phrases holds my attention. The plots flow smoothly and at a steady pace, and the love scenes are smokin'. This story was no exception!
I've read a lot of romances, but the circumstances that brought Evelyn and Mason together were, by far, the most unique I have encountered! It's one of those situations where the coincidences all line up so perfectly that maybe, just maybe, Fate was trying to tell them something from the start.
All characters were, in my opinion, very well-written. I would even love to read a story featuring minor character Owen (Mason's brother)!
Evelyn was pretty realistic; she wasn't an idiot or a "drama queen" (ha....you'll get that joke after you read the book), and I loved her sass.
Mason is the prime example of "I'm not guilty, just at the wrong place at the wrong time." His remorse was endearing, but he was no idiot either. He and Evelyn engage in a battle of wits that makes for some pretty interesting situations. Mason is also INCREDIBLY sexy, and I couldn't think of a better guy to accidentally kidnap someone.
The inclusion of Stockholm Syndrome was a very clever catalyst for the love that blooms between Evelyn and Mason. It adds an intelligent flavor to the story, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant!
The ending had a few twists that I was NOT expecting, and the happily-ever-after scene was a perfect fit for Evelyn and Mason. This book was just incredibly well done, and I loved every word!
***I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Chapter 1
Almost ready. Evelyn Maier looked around her one-room apartment with satisfaction. The kitchenette gleamed. Refrigerator emptied. Trash out. Potted plants next door with Tink. Wafer, the cat, at her parents’ house. The place seemed empty without his noisy meowing, and she’d miss his warm, furry weight on her bed, but he was an old hand at this routine.
Her well-worn backpack sat propped next to the door, bedroll and padded jacket strapped to the top, plane tickets and passport in the hidden zip pouch at the back. Excitement and anticipation surged sweetly through her veins.
Just one thing left to do. She frowned at the stack of assignments next to her laptop on the plastic table that doubled as her desk. Grading the two hundred research essays on stress-induced psychological disorders had taken much longer than she’d expected, and she’d only finished that afternoon, resulting in some considerable stress of her own.
Now she had to return them to Professor Waverly’s office. She’d put off the short walk to campus because it had been raining—a drenching spring thunderstorm that she knew would clear up just as quickly as it had begun.
She’d showered and washed her hair, and now the clock above the door showed half past nine. The rain had stopped, but it was dark outside.
She sighed. She’d prefer to go to bed, anxious about the early start the next morning to catch her six o’clock international flight. Walking through the campus grounds and the deserted faculty buildings to drop off the assignments was the last thing she felt like doing. But if she didn’t, the alternative of four o’clock the next morning, on her way to the airport, was even worse.
Wearing her version of pajamas—a floppy white t-shirt that hung to mid-thigh over white French-cut panties—she pulled on a pair of jeans and slipped her bare feet into trainers. Her mobile and access card went into one pocket and her keys into the other. She grabbed the pile of assignments and set out, turning off the lights on her way.
It was a balmy spring evening, one of the warmest so far despite the rain, and she enjoyed the stroll along the busy tree-lined streets toward the campus. The city lights seemed extra bright and colorful after the downpour and there were lots of pedestrians on the sidewalks. Everything throbbed with life. Including her neighbor, she thought, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks at the errant notion. She’d knocked on Tink’s door earlier, clutching the basket with her plants, and the statuesque blond opened it dressed in nothing but a filmy black wrap.
“Hi, Evvy.”
“Er… Hi, Tink. I brought the plants. Is this a bad time?”
“No. Come on in and put them on the counter.” She stepped aside and Evelyn brushed past, catching a whiff of expensive perfume. She faltered as she entered the lounge. Two men sat on the couch—handsome men dressed in suit pants and formal shirts, with drinks in their hands.
“Hello, gorgeous. Let me help you with that.” The closer one jumped to his feet and took the basket from her, hefting it onto the nearby table. The other said nothing, but looked her up and down with an intensity that made her shiver.
“Th-thanks. I’ll be going then. Sorry for the interruption.”
“Don’t run away. You just got here.” The sitting guy had a really deep voice.
“Yeah, have a drink with us,” said the helpful one, stepping closer.
“I really can’t. I… I have a plane to catch in the morning.” She backed toward the door and bumped into Tink. “Oops, sorry.”
“You can stay, Evvy. I don’t mind sharing.” Tink’s hands were on her shoulders, gripping lightly. For a wild moment, she thought they wouldn’t allow her leave, and a wave of fearful arousal swept over her, stealing away her breath. Then Tink let go, led her to the door, and the moment passed.
“Thanks for looking after my plants, Tink.” She hoped her voice didn’t sound too unsteady.
“It’s my pleasure. And, Evvy, next time you should stay. You don’t have to run off to darkest Africa and climb mountains to get your thrills, you know. There’s plenty of excitement to be had right here.”
“What? No, Tink, that’s not why—”
Tink winked at her and closed the door.
***
Her shortcut was just ahead. She turned off the road, passed behind a clump of bushes through a little-known gap in the hedge, and entered the broad parklands surrounding the campus like an oasis in the city, refuge to kangaroos, possums, and many other creatures, and the pride of Brisbane University. On her key ring hung a tiny flashlight, and she used it to see her way through the pathless garden until she reached the first paved walkway.
She didn’t want to think about what had happened at Tink’s place. Tink was wrong. Life was just so much easier without men. There was no drama. She could do what she wanted, travel when and where she wished. People didn’t judge her because she liked to travel. It was normal. She was perfectly normal.
As she walked along the well-lit brick paths, she heard the dripping of rainwater from the leaves and the occasional rustle of small nocturnal animals in the dense foliage. Deserted, the campus grounds were so different from the usual daily bustle, but it was the September mid-semester break—fifteen days of glorious peace before the madness of the final quarter. The students had cleared out, the parties were over, and those faculty members still coming in to work arrived late and left early.
Emerging from the parklands, she passed the sports grounds without encountering a single person. At the doors to the main building, she was relieved to see that the lights were on inside. She swiped her access card, and the doors slid open.
Her trainers slapped loudly on the concrete floor in the oppressive silence within, eerie and echoing. Evelyn broke into a jog, eager to complete her mission and get back out to the busy streets of Brisbane. She paused at the elevator. Should she take it, or use the stairs to the Psychology Department on the third floor? The stairwell looked shadowy, the steps disappearing upward into darkness.
Cursing her nervousness, she slapped the button to summon the elevator, and it pinged open a second later. She bounded in and pushed the button for the third floor. As the doors closed, she thought she heard distant laughter and a scream before the elevator began its ponderous journey upward, cutting off all sound. Sweat broke out all over her body, prickling uncomfortably—god only knew how long she’d be trapped if it got stuck!
As the doors slid open to reveal the familiar foyer of the Psych Department, she realized she’d been holding her breath.
The halls leading to the offices were in darkness, but that didn’t matter to Evelyn. She’d been working as an assistant lecturer since the beginning of the year while doing her thesis part-time, and knew every nook and cranny of the warren-like passages. More puzzling were the sounds of distant revelry—high-pitched giggling, the rumble of men’s voices, and occasionally a louder clamor as if a crowd was laughing or shouting together. She felt strangely furtive, an outside listening in where she shouldn’t.
Swiping her access card again to open the glass security door between the foyer and the offices, she strode down the passage to Professor Waverly’s office. She fumbled for a moment then found the light switch.
She left the pile of assignments on his chair, thinking they might go unnoticed amongst the clutter on his desk, and as an afterthought, scribbled a note reminding him she would be away for the next two weeks and unavailable on her mobile. He was absentminded about that sort of thing, and she wouldn’t put it past him to leave her fifty voice messages.
With a sense of relief, she turned off the light and returned to the foyer. This time she took the stairs to the ground floor, bolting through the shadowed landings, along the main corridor, and out the doors, taking a deep breath as she emerged into the warm night air. She’d be home and asleep by half past ten.
Back on the brick paths under the trees, her pace brisk, she became aware of footsteps behind her halfway through the parkland.
Icy tendrils of fear snaked through her belly and goose bumps ran riot on her arms. Was it just a coincidence? Another late-night visitor to the campus who had nothing to do with her?
She walked faster and then, prodded by her fight-or-flight instinct, broke into a run. To her dismay, the footsteps sped up behind her—not just a chance encounter, then. Her pulse rate escalated as she upped her speed.
Almost ready. Evelyn Maier looked around her one-room apartment with satisfaction. The kitchenette gleamed. Refrigerator emptied. Trash out. Potted plants next door with Tink. Wafer, the cat, at her parents’ house. The place seemed empty without his noisy meowing, and she’d miss his warm, furry weight on her bed, but he was an old hand at this routine.
Her well-worn backpack sat propped next to the door, bedroll and padded jacket strapped to the top, plane tickets and passport in the hidden zip pouch at the back. Excitement and anticipation surged sweetly through her veins.
Just one thing left to do. She frowned at the stack of assignments next to her laptop on the plastic table that doubled as her desk. Grading the two hundred research essays on stress-induced psychological disorders had taken much longer than she’d expected, and she’d only finished that afternoon, resulting in some considerable stress of her own.
Now she had to return them to Professor Waverly’s office. She’d put off the short walk to campus because it had been raining—a drenching spring thunderstorm that she knew would clear up just as quickly as it had begun.
She’d showered and washed her hair, and now the clock above the door showed half past nine. The rain had stopped, but it was dark outside.
She sighed. She’d prefer to go to bed, anxious about the early start the next morning to catch her six o’clock international flight. Walking through the campus grounds and the deserted faculty buildings to drop off the assignments was the last thing she felt like doing. But if she didn’t, the alternative of four o’clock the next morning, on her way to the airport, was even worse.
Wearing her version of pajamas—a floppy white t-shirt that hung to mid-thigh over white French-cut panties—she pulled on a pair of jeans and slipped her bare feet into trainers. Her mobile and access card went into one pocket and her keys into the other. She grabbed the pile of assignments and set out, turning off the lights on her way.
It was a balmy spring evening, one of the warmest so far despite the rain, and she enjoyed the stroll along the busy tree-lined streets toward the campus. The city lights seemed extra bright and colorful after the downpour and there were lots of pedestrians on the sidewalks. Everything throbbed with life. Including her neighbor, she thought, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks at the errant notion. She’d knocked on Tink’s door earlier, clutching the basket with her plants, and the statuesque blond opened it dressed in nothing but a filmy black wrap.
“Hi, Evvy.”
“Er… Hi, Tink. I brought the plants. Is this a bad time?”
“No. Come on in and put them on the counter.” She stepped aside and Evelyn brushed past, catching a whiff of expensive perfume. She faltered as she entered the lounge. Two men sat on the couch—handsome men dressed in suit pants and formal shirts, with drinks in their hands.
“Hello, gorgeous. Let me help you with that.” The closer one jumped to his feet and took the basket from her, hefting it onto the nearby table. The other said nothing, but looked her up and down with an intensity that made her shiver.
“Th-thanks. I’ll be going then. Sorry for the interruption.”
“Don’t run away. You just got here.” The sitting guy had a really deep voice.
“Yeah, have a drink with us,” said the helpful one, stepping closer.
“I really can’t. I… I have a plane to catch in the morning.” She backed toward the door and bumped into Tink. “Oops, sorry.”
“You can stay, Evvy. I don’t mind sharing.” Tink’s hands were on her shoulders, gripping lightly. For a wild moment, she thought they wouldn’t allow her leave, and a wave of fearful arousal swept over her, stealing away her breath. Then Tink let go, led her to the door, and the moment passed.
“Thanks for looking after my plants, Tink.” She hoped her voice didn’t sound too unsteady.
“It’s my pleasure. And, Evvy, next time you should stay. You don’t have to run off to darkest Africa and climb mountains to get your thrills, you know. There’s plenty of excitement to be had right here.”
“What? No, Tink, that’s not why—”
Tink winked at her and closed the door.
***
Her shortcut was just ahead. She turned off the road, passed behind a clump of bushes through a little-known gap in the hedge, and entered the broad parklands surrounding the campus like an oasis in the city, refuge to kangaroos, possums, and many other creatures, and the pride of Brisbane University. On her key ring hung a tiny flashlight, and she used it to see her way through the pathless garden until she reached the first paved walkway.
She didn’t want to think about what had happened at Tink’s place. Tink was wrong. Life was just so much easier without men. There was no drama. She could do what she wanted, travel when and where she wished. People didn’t judge her because she liked to travel. It was normal. She was perfectly normal.
As she walked along the well-lit brick paths, she heard the dripping of rainwater from the leaves and the occasional rustle of small nocturnal animals in the dense foliage. Deserted, the campus grounds were so different from the usual daily bustle, but it was the September mid-semester break—fifteen days of glorious peace before the madness of the final quarter. The students had cleared out, the parties were over, and those faculty members still coming in to work arrived late and left early.
Emerging from the parklands, she passed the sports grounds without encountering a single person. At the doors to the main building, she was relieved to see that the lights were on inside. She swiped her access card, and the doors slid open.
Her trainers slapped loudly on the concrete floor in the oppressive silence within, eerie and echoing. Evelyn broke into a jog, eager to complete her mission and get back out to the busy streets of Brisbane. She paused at the elevator. Should she take it, or use the stairs to the Psychology Department on the third floor? The stairwell looked shadowy, the steps disappearing upward into darkness.
Cursing her nervousness, she slapped the button to summon the elevator, and it pinged open a second later. She bounded in and pushed the button for the third floor. As the doors closed, she thought she heard distant laughter and a scream before the elevator began its ponderous journey upward, cutting off all sound. Sweat broke out all over her body, prickling uncomfortably—god only knew how long she’d be trapped if it got stuck!
As the doors slid open to reveal the familiar foyer of the Psych Department, she realized she’d been holding her breath.
The halls leading to the offices were in darkness, but that didn’t matter to Evelyn. She’d been working as an assistant lecturer since the beginning of the year while doing her thesis part-time, and knew every nook and cranny of the warren-like passages. More puzzling were the sounds of distant revelry—high-pitched giggling, the rumble of men’s voices, and occasionally a louder clamor as if a crowd was laughing or shouting together. She felt strangely furtive, an outside listening in where she shouldn’t.
Swiping her access card again to open the glass security door between the foyer and the offices, she strode down the passage to Professor Waverly’s office. She fumbled for a moment then found the light switch.
She left the pile of assignments on his chair, thinking they might go unnoticed amongst the clutter on his desk, and as an afterthought, scribbled a note reminding him she would be away for the next two weeks and unavailable on her mobile. He was absentminded about that sort of thing, and she wouldn’t put it past him to leave her fifty voice messages.
With a sense of relief, she turned off the light and returned to the foyer. This time she took the stairs to the ground floor, bolting through the shadowed landings, along the main corridor, and out the doors, taking a deep breath as she emerged into the warm night air. She’d be home and asleep by half past ten.
Back on the brick paths under the trees, her pace brisk, she became aware of footsteps behind her halfway through the parkland.
Icy tendrils of fear snaked through her belly and goose bumps ran riot on her arms. Was it just a coincidence? Another late-night visitor to the campus who had nothing to do with her?
She walked faster and then, prodded by her fight-or-flight instinct, broke into a run. To her dismay, the footsteps sped up behind her—not just a chance encounter, then. Her pulse rate escalated as she upped her speed.
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Craving something different? JB writes gasping-hot erotic fiction for readers who hunger for extraordinary passion every day. Sometimes humorous, sometimes dark, her creations are passionate and earthy.
A survivor of the corporate world, JB spent twenty years in the IT industry, from which she finally escaped, allowing her to indulge her true passion...creating unusual erotic encounters for her imaginary friends!
JB is an ex-South African and lives with her extended family in Queensland, Australia's sunshine state. She feels privileged to coexist, in relative peace and harmony, with her husband, daughter, parents, grandmother and two slightly crazy ex-racehorses. She loves to write - anytime, anywhere - and could not survive without the techno-gadgets which make this possible.
JB is a firm believer in lust at first sight, and love ever after.
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