He was her first Master, seducing her into a life of cruelty. Now she must take a journey to save her soul.

God, just his name made her stomach clench and a feeling of nausea roll through her. Even after all this time, she still felt as if she had to scrub every part of her body inside and out to rid herself of the vestiges of his control. How sick was that?

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts when she gave her car to the valet parking attendant, she didn’t look where she was going…

Until she bumped into someone and a hand closed over her arm.

“Well.” His mouth curved in that seductive smile that hid so much. “It’s been a very long time, Fallon. I understood you were hiding up in the Hill Country.”

She looked up to see him standing beside her, as if conjured by her very thoughts.

Brian Willoughby was tall; taller than Cord. So tall that when he stood next to her, he almost blocked the sun. And broad, every bit of him hard, solid muscle. His razor-cut blond hair still fell in precise lines to just above his collar and his deep blue eyes were still as chilly and penetrating. Power radiated from him, a power tinged with evil that unfortunately still had the ability to hypnotize Fallon in an instant.

At once her mind and body reacted, and she tried to push away the programmed response. Disaster and destruction were standing right in front of her if she didn’t get a grip. She knew exactly how junkies and alcoholics felt while trying to dry out. Nothing satisfied the sick hunger. Yet even knowing that, and with Claire’s conversation fresh in her mind, her body reacted automatically.

Think of Cord.

Fallon forced herself to breathe evenly. Heat burned her skin where his fingers rested on her arm. His touch was light but it might as well have been steel talons. She wanted to jerk away but the message didn’t seem to filter down from her brain.

“You heard wrong.” From somewhere she managed a hint of defiance in her tone. “I’m not hiding at all.”

“Oh?” He lifted one eyebrow in a too-familiar gesture. “I’ve missed seeing you.”

His fingers stroked her arm where they held her.

Ohgodohgodohgod.

She wet her lips. “I was just—reordering my priorities.”

His eyes raked over her. “I’ve missed you.” He took a step closer, shrinking the space between them. “You’ve missed me too. I know you have.” He bent his head so his mouth was at her ear. “You’ve missed me fucking you when you were bound so intricately you couldn’t move a muscle, and I could plow into you at will.”

His tone had that same compelling quality she couldn’t forget. She trembled at his words and the gush of fluid into her panties disgusted her. Yet at the same time, vivid images of the scene he described flashed into her mind and all the months dropped away. She found herself being lulled by him again. Falling into the same trap.

No! Cord! Think of Cord!

She extricated herself from his hold—but damn it, she missed his touch as soon as it was gone. “I have a new life. A better life. I could say it’s been nice running into you, but I’d be lying.”

He reached out and touched her cheek, his knuckles grazing the skin. The contact sizzled and another kaleidoscope of memories and sensations bombarded her.

No!

Finding courage she didn’t know she had, she backed away two steps and glanced at her watch.

“Sorry, Brian. I really have to run.”

*~*~*

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Addiction-Desiree-Holt-ebook/dp/B075MBFQP8/

Apple:
https://itunes.apple.com/book/beyond-addiction/id1282617629?l=en&mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/beyond-addiction-6

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https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-addiction-desiree-holt/1119081224?ean=2940158563683

Blushing: https://blushingbooks.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4483

About the Author

USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and contemporary on a variety of heat levels up to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author. She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

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