Unlawful Desire
Unlawful Desire
Book one of the Men of Clayton-Moss series
by Raven Dark
Unlawful Desire Copyright © 2015 by Raven Dark
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events or locales in this novel are either the product of the author's imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.
Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrightable materials.
For permission requests, email ravendarkauthor@gmail.com.
Cover image courtesy of Adobe Stock
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Author’s Note
Readers,
This book contains BDSM elements not for everyone, including rape roleplay. The scenes are mild and kept short, and always one-hundred percent consensual. That said, if you have triggers or are sensitive to sexual assault scenarios, even in a simulated capacity, please do not read this book.
Erotic romances are fantasies, not reality, and as such, relationships transpire within a vastly compressed timeframe. Never, ever participate in any BDSM scene without a clearly established safeword, and never without knowing your Dom or sub well. Always remember, safe, sane, consensual.
Communication between a Dom and sub is key. Both parties need to know what the other wants from a scene, and what they don’t. In a story, we can let go and feel safe, knowing that when the story is over, our normal lives will be as they were. In real life, BDSM cannot be rushed without serious risk to all involved.
It is my wish that each and every one of you find love and lasting happiness with that special someone. And even after you do, please come back and visit with the hot Doms of my worlds and the strong-willed subs who love them.
Much love, and thanks for reading.
R.D.
About this book
Unlawful Desire is the first in the Men of Clayton-Moss series, and although it is a standalone, it is recommended that the books in this series be read in order so you may appreciate certain evolutionary aspects in the overall storyline. As a town, the feel of Clayton-Moss changes throughout the series, or perhaps, more accurately, the town reveals aspects of itself best seen in sequence.
The second book, Be Mean to Me, will be out around mid-2016.
This book is intended for adults, 18+, and contains erotic scenes and risky situations, which shouldn’t be attempted in real life without a trained professional.
Welcome to Clayton-Moss.
R.D.
Acknowledgements
The list of people who deserve thanks for this book is too long to list here, but there are those whose efforts in getting this story out into the world must not be ignored.
First and foremost, to Jenna Scott and Amanda Muriel, editors extraordinaire, who put a lot of blood and sweat into helping me polish this book until even my perfectionism was quelled into acceptance it was ready. Thank you for everything, my dear friends. Also to Cheryl Graham Pitit for your much needed proofread.
Second, a huge thanks to all the beta readers and critique partners who endured the rougher drafts, chief among these, Katie Reese, Fawn Carlson, Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick and Maci Dillon. You are my word army. Because of your support, not just my writing, but I, as a person, am better because of you.
Third, to the great number of people who have been with me from the start, who have pushed me to improve my craft and who refused to let me give up, even when I wanted to pull my hair out. Bethany Nash, Michelle Hauck, Minerva Perez, to name only a few. you were my first fans, my first true writing friends. I love you and miss you often.
Oh, and Shadowsword is coming. Promise.
I know there are so many more of you whose support and love brought me to this point. You know who you are. I have a feeling the list for book two will be much longer.
It is true, what they say. If you work hard and believe in yourself, dreams do come true. This book is living proof.
R.D.
Dedication
For my real life Rock.
Always.
Table of Contents
Author’s Note
About this book
Acknowledgements
Dedication
CHAPTER 1: NEWS
CHAPTER 2: MISTRESS E.
CHAPTER 3: SCALDER
CHAPTER 4: CORD’S CROSS
CHAPTER 5: MINE
CHAPTER 6: TO THINE OWN SELF
CHAPTER 7: A MATTER OF CONTROL
CHAPTER 8: DIRTY GIRL
CHAPTER 9: BRAT
CHAPTER 10: SOFT LIMITS
CHAPTER 11: UPPING THE ANTE
CHAPTER 12: EQUALS
CHAPTER 13: DISOBEDIENCE
CHAPTER 14: TASTING DARKNESS
CHAPTER 15: MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS
CHAPTER 16: TWELVE STROKES TO ECSTASY
CHAPTER 17: CRASH
CHAPTER 18: OUT OF TIME
CHAPTER 19: TABOO
Thanks for Reading!
Other Books by Raven Dark
About Raven Dark
CHAPTER 1: NEWS
“I’m getting married.”
Ella nearly dropped her sister’s birthday cake. She set it on the dining room table and turned to face her. “Come again?”
A grin spread over Shayla’s heart-shaped face and she held up one long, dainty hand. The huge diamond glinted blindingly in the light. “I’m getting married.”
Ella’s gaze snapped up to the man who stood behind Shayla, his hand on her shoulder. Her stomach gave an ugly twist. She was marrying Ben Reese. Shit. Ella had an all too vivid memory of him kissing a waitress at a restaurant when Shayla had brought him down for Christmas a few months ago.
“Shayla…” She trailed off when Dad steered his way into the dining room and set his wheelchair at the head of the huge oak table.
No arguing. Just try to get along for one night. His words rang in her head.
She glanced at Ben, who waited for her reaction. “Uh…nice rock.”
“He asked me last night after dinner,” Shayla said. “Isn’t this wonderful?”
Wonderful? Ella shot another look at her dad. His thin, emaciated frame served as a reminder why she should keep her mouth shut. Doctor’s orders, he had to minimize his stress. Though she was pretty sure he didn’t know Ben was an unfaithful prick.
“Shayla, I need to talk to you.”
“Ella—”
“Just come with me.” Ella grabbed Shayla’s arm and pulled her toward the living room.
“Ella,” Dad interjected.
“Dad, she needs to hear this.”
“Oh no.” Shayla yanked her arm free and Ella spun around, ignoring the twinge of pain that shot up her back. “Whatever you’re going to say, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Well, you need to.”
“Ella, you promised. No arguing,” Dad said.
“I know. I’ll be nice. I just want to make sure she knows what she’s getting into.”
“What she's getting into?” Ben’s face twisted with offense. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I want to be sure my sister knows what kind of a man you are.”
“Oh, this
again.” Shayla put her hand on her hip. “You already tried to sour me on him with your stories about his conquests in school. It didn’t work then, it won’t work now.”
“Ella, enough.” Dad pushed his chair between the three of them. “I won’t have you ruining Shayla’s birthday dinner.”
Her fists tightened, but the tremor in his once strong voice kept her from snapping at him. Sympathy twisted her heart. Cancer had aged him before his time.
“The kind of man I am?” Ben bit out. “And what kind of man is that?”
Ella drew a deep breath. “A womanizer.” His eyes widened. “You didn’t think I knew about the kiss, did you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He turned and lay his hand on Shayla’s cheek. “She’s lying. baby, I wouldn’t cheat on you.”
“I know you wouldn’t, dear.” Shayla rubbed his arm.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t, young man. Ella, I know you’ve never liked Ben, but this is your sister’s choice—”
“Seems you were right, Shayla. Your sister likes to make trouble. Is it me you don’t like, Ella, or just men in general?”
“What?” Ella stared at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re the one who likes beating men, right? You can’t take one of your whips to me, so you make up stories instead.”
Ella rounded on her sister. “Jesus. You told him?”
“Shayla?” Dad’s grey brows lifted.
At least Shayla had the decency to look extremely uncomfortable. She went over to the table, making a big production out of cutting the black forest cake into perfect wedges. White-hot betrayal burned in Ella’s belly. She lurched over to her sister.
“You actually told him?”
Shayla said nothing, only dished the cake onto plates. Ella pulled her toward the living room, shooting a glare at Ben. That was just like him, no tact. Thanks to her dear sister’s meddling, Dad already knew about her kink, but she still didn’t feel right discussing that type of thing in front of him. Parents and kink just didn’t mix.
Once in the living room, Ella had to resist the urge to shake her. “Shayla, why the hell would you tell that prick I’m a Domme?”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Oh? And what did you mean?”
Dad appeared in the door to the living room and Ella’s stomach sank. The expression on his face, like he’d swallowed something sour, said it all. He didn’t want anything to do with this conversation anymore. She turned back to her sister.
“Well?”
“He’s marrying me in three months. I’m not hiding anything from him.”
“Yeah, right. I doubt there was a reason to bring that up. Once again, you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. Just like with Mom.”
Shayla rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. You’re bringing that up now?”
“If he wanted to know what I did for a living, why tell him about my side job? Why not tell him I work for Dad? You know how most people in this town react.”
“I still don’t understood why a strong, independent woman like you would want to spend her nights at a club submitting herself to a man who gets off on beating her.”
Ella clicked her tongue and pulled in a slow, long breath. Her sister’s ignorance boggled her mind sometimes. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell her—not for the first time—that BDSM wasn’t about abuse. But doing so wouldn’t have made a difference. Shayla telling Ben wouldn’t have been so bad if this had been the first time she’d betrayed her.
“Uh uh. Forget it. I’m not getting into this with you. I—”
“Girls, since neither of you are going to eat, I’m going to my room. I refuse to sit and listen to you both argue all night.”
Disappointment radiated from Dad’s voice more than anger. There was a whirring noise as the lift started to take him up to his second floor bedroom.
“Dad, wait.” Ella lurched to the stairs. Her back screamed, making her wince. “Dad—”
The whirring stopped and he held up one thin, too pale hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“But—”
“Enough. All I wanted was one night of peace between the two of you. Shayla’s never been much on discipline, but I expected more from you.”
Guilt washed over her and her shoulders sagged. As the heir to his company he’d always set a higher standard for her. “Dad…”
But he shook his head and jabbed the button on the lift. His chair ascended the staircase. His wracking cough sounded from down the hall.
Ella moved to follow him, make sure he was okay, and her back gave a pop. She let out a hiss between her teeth. Damn this rain. Give her a sunny day and she was fine, but as soon as the weather got too wet, the wrong move sent corkscrews of pain shooting through her lower spine. That’s what I get for having been a sub.
“There, now see what you’ve done?” Shayla glared at her when she came back into the living room. “You can’t just be happy for me and accept things, can you?”
Ella clenched her jaw. I’m not accepting things? “I’m going out. Clean up the kitchen when you and Ben are done. I don’t want the dirty dishes left for Dad to do.”
“Ella, for God’s sake.”
She headed for the stairs and nodded to Ben. “I wish I could say it was nice to see you again. Try not to cheat on my sister too often.”
“Why you—” Ben started after her until Shayla rushed over and coaxed him back toward the door to the kitchen. She said something to him in a whisper, but Ella was already halfway up the steps and didn’t catch it.
In her old room, she stalked over to the bed and yanked open the duffel bag she’d brought for the weekend checking over the contents. This was at least partially her fault. She’d always been terrible at holding her tongue. Her mouth had gotten her into trouble all her life.
“Ella, where on earth are you going?” Shayla marched over to her bed. “We promised Dad we’d get through tonight.”
“I know, and I’m sorry for that. If Dad asks, I’ve gone to the club. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
“You’re going there now?” She curled her lip at the BDSM paraphernalia in Ella’s bag. “What is…” She pulled out a ball gag and looked at it like it was a poisonous snake. Ella snatched it from her and stuffed it into the bag. She wouldn’t apologize for her lifestyle.
Shayla sat on the bed and stilled Ella’s hands. “You need to stop this craziness. That lifestyle is dangerous.”
Memories of the night she’d been injured made her heartbeat quicken and Ella shoved them aside.
“What happened to me was the exception, not the norm, and that incident is why no one touches me in scene, ever.”
“Right, and how long until you make a mistake again? Don’t think I’ve forgotten whose fault this is.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know what I mean. If Rock McCarthy hadn’t gotten you into that kinky stuff, you wouldn’t be in pain, Mom wouldn’t have died hating what you are, and you wouldn’t be getting sickos off with a whip.”
Rock. The mention of her ex-boyfriend and former Dom sent a spear of longing through her that nearly drowned out her anger at Shayla’s remarks. Ella swallowed. Six years later thoughts of him still left a hole in her heart.
“This isn’t Rock’s fault,” Ella said. “Getting into this lifestyle was entirely my decision and what we both wanted at the time. Rock loved me as much as I loved him.”
“Did he?” Shayla crossed the room, picked up something on the dresser, looked at it and put it down. “He’s back, you know.”
The words sent a jolt through her and Ella almost dropped onto the bed. “What?”
“Yeah. He’s back in town. One of my friends saw him at the hotel where she works, at the Ellison.”
Ella’s head spun. She closed her eyes. One deep breath. Two. Her former Dom, back in Clayton-Moss after all this time. Why?
Shayla curled her lip. “She said he came i
nto the hotel wearing a Rolex and a tailored suit like he was some kind of big shot.”
Ella scrunched her brows. Rock had grown up as poor as Ella had been rich. In Clayton-Moss, if you were born in the lower classes, you stayed there. What had become of him after he left that he could afford to stay at such an expensive hotel?
“I guess he thinks he fits into our world now just because he has money.” Shayla gave a derisive laugh. “The only way a guy like Rock has money is if he stole it.”
“Hey.” Ella went to her. “I know you’re trying to protect me in your own backward way, but I won’t have you talking trash about him.”
“But it’s the truth. He was a thug then, he’s probably one now. Why are you so defensive of him anyway? Back in town a week and he didn’t even try to contact you. He must not have cared that much for you.”
Ella’s nails bit into her palms. Any number of reasons could have stopped Rock from contacting her, none of which meant he didn’t care. He’d left her in order to pursue a career, his only chance to get out of a life that would have led him to prison.
She put herself toe to toe with her sister. It gave her a small sliver of pleasure when Shayla’s body tensed.
“You listen to me. What I do with my life is my business. I don’t need—or want—your help. Clear?”
“Always the Domme, right? Big dangerous, bad girl.”
Ella hissed between her teeth and snatched up her bag. There would never be anything she could say or do to cure her sister of her ignorance. She slung the bag over her shoulder and walked to the door. Ignoring a pinch in her back, she turned.
“You know, even when he was getting into fights and splitting people’s lips, Rock was still a far better man than Ben will ever be. He never hurt me, and he would never, ever, have cheated on me. Can you say the same for Ben?”