Her Dark Past
The Corde Noire Series IV
By Alexandrea
Weis
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release
Date: January 23, 2017
Brynn Adler is a
writer with a unique ability—everywhere she goes, images of the past haunt her.
After taking
over the estate of her murdered ex-husband, Nathan Cole, Brynn is at the center
of a mystery. A mystery the ruthless members of the Corde Noire Society want
solved. Sent to discover Brynn’s secret, Declan Corinth plans to arouse her
former submissive ways. There’s just one problem … he knows nothing about being
a Dom. If Declan doesn’t get what the Corde Noire requires, Brynn Adler could
become its next victim. Can he win her trust in time? The clock is
ticking.
To uncover the
past, embrace the darkness.
In the back of
the Mercedes, Brynn was wiping the raindrops from her face and neck when the
rear passenger door flew open and another person scooted inside.
She almost
screamed for her driver when she saw the man in the sharply cut black suit
slide into the seat next to her. His riveting blue eyes fixated on her, and
Brynn’s mouth dropped open.
Oh, shit!
“Well, well,
Brynn Alder,” he said in a voice akin to honey. “I thought that was you.
Forgive the intrusion, but I have wanted to meet you. I’m Declan Corinth.” He
held out his hand.
Brynn stared at
his hand as if it was a nuclear missile. What in the hell is he doing here?
When her eyes
rose to his face, his good looks made her mouth go dry. With black wavy hair
and sharp blue eyes, he was even sexier than his portrait. Declan’s features
were sharp, but his nose was a little flat and his chin somewhat small compared
to his square jaw. He had thin lips that complimented his looks. Just the idea
of kissing those lips made Brynn want to—
Shake his hand!
“Mr. Corinth.” She took his hand. “Why are you in my car?”
While holding
her hand, his eyes examined her face, sending a tingling sensation up from
Brynn’s toes.
“I was coming to
Ren’s, and I saw you. I’m ashamed to say I’m a fan, Ms. Adler. I’ve read all
your books. I think your interpretation of the BDSM lifestyle is unique.”
“Interesting
choice of words, Mr. Corinth.” The fact that the attractive man had read her
books was even more unnerving than his being in her car. “Are you familiar with
BDSM?”
He kept a firm
grip on her hand. “I have several associates who are ardent admirers of the
lifestyle.”
She yanked her
hand away. “By associates, I take it you mean Ren and his little society.”
“Ren is a
business associate, Ms. Adler. As for his society, I’m familiar with it.”
She sat back in
her seat, studying Declan’s compelling features. “How did you end up in one of
his portraits?”
He hiked up a
dark eyebrow, his eyes brimming with amusement. “You’ve seen the painting? And
what did you think?”
“Ren told me a
local businesswoman commissioned it. She was apparently quite taken with you.”
“Mabel Bergeron
was more than taken with me. She was obsessed.”
Declan’s soulful
chuckle resonated in Brynn’s groin, and then she was struck by the name. “Mabel
Bergeron? But she ….” Her voice trailed off, afraid to say what she was
thinking.
“She owns a
bondage club in the Garden District.” Declan sat back in his seat. “Your
ex-husband was a frequent customer of hers. We met at Mabel’s
club.”
A cold
realization settled over Brynn. Declan Corinth was a player—a Dom. How else
would he know about the bondage club Nathan had belonged to, or be friends with
Ren Plancharde? Feeling foolish, Brynn glanced at Bob, still awaiting
instructions behind the wheel.
“I should go.
I’m keeping you from your meeting with Ren.”
“Nonsense.”
Declan motioned for Bob to start the car. “I’ll see you back to The Shallows.
You shouldn’t be alone today.”
“You know where
I live?”
“I heard you
took over Nathan’s old penthouse.”
Brynn’s
reservations mounted as the engine roared to life. “No, Bob, wait,” she called.
“Mr. Corinth was just leaving.”
The shock in
Declan’s blue eyes was entertaining. She suspected that, being a Dom, he wasn’t
used to having a woman tell him what to do.
With a curt nod,
he reached for the car door and then glanced back at her. “Can I ask you a
question?”
His voice
reminded her of a dark whiskey. Smooth, soulful, and reaching down to her—
“Of course, Mr.
Corinth.”
He shimmied
closer to her. “It’s Declan, not Mr. Corinth.”
Her toes were
tingling again. “What would you like to know?”
“How do you get
ideas for your stories? They seem so real.”
Brynn shook her
head, convinced that he was baiting her. If he was an associate of Ren’s and
knew Nathan, then he must have known of her past.
“A writer never
divulges where she gets her inspiration.” Brynn smugly sat back in her seat.
“Good evening, Mr. Corinth.”
The surly grin
he gave her damn near knocked her to the car floor. He was even more
devastating when he was angry.
Declan shoved
the card door open. As the sound of the rain hitting the sidewalk drifted into
the car, he said, “We’ll see each other again, Ms. Adler.”
Brynn just
smiled and waited for him to leave.
He bounded into
the pouring rain and slammed the door closed. Brynn sank into her cold leather
seat as he jogged through the open gate and into Ren’s pristine courtyard.
“No, we will not
see each other again, Mr. Corinth.” She rocked her head back and closed her eyes.
“That would be very dangerous for me.”
From New Orleans,
Alexandrea Weis was raised in the motion picture industry and began writing
stories at the age of eight. In college she studied nursing and went on to
teach at a local university. After several years in the medical field, she
decided to pick up the pen once again and began her first novel, To My Senses.
Since that time she has published many novels. Infusing the rich tapestry of
her hometown into her award-winning books, she believes that creating vivid
characters makes a story memorable. Her work has been critically acclaimed and
has been continually growing in popularity.
Alexandrea Weis
is also a certified/permitted wildlife rehaber with the La. Wildlife and
Fisheries. When she is not writing, she rescues orphaned and injured wildlife.
She is married; they live in New Orleans.
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