Julia Sykes: August 2012

So if you are one of the lovely people who decided to take a look at Pursued (Captured by the Billionaire 1), I have something for you! Here is the first chapter of Captured (Captured by the Billionaire 2) to whet your appetite for the next book! I will keep you updated on the release date, but expect it before this Sunday. Happy reading, lovelies :) xxx

Chapter 1

“Venice?” Mallory squeaked. “As in, the Venice? In Italy?”

Jake’s wide grin told her she was right. “Yep,” he answered simply. Mallory stared at him, mouth agape, for a few moments. He made a shooing motion at her. “Well go on. Get packed. We’ll be gone for two nights.”

Mallory was breathing hard, her head spinning. It was almost too much for her mind to comprehend. Was this really happening? Or was she dreaming? She pinched herself. The little ping of pain on her arm told her that this was indeed real.

“I can’t,” she said finally.

Jake frowned. “And why not?” He asked. “You did agree to go out with me, remember?”

“Yes, I agreed to dinner! Not a two night mini-vacay with a complete stranger! How do I know that you aren’t going to murder me or sell me into slavery or something?” Mallory had seen the movie Taken; she knew how this would go down.

Jake just laughed. “Well, for one, I’m a pretty high-profile character; I don’t think I could murder you without anyone noticing. And for another, I would never give you to anyone else.” His gaze turned hungry, his eyes intense. “I want you for myself, Mallory.”

She shivered at the possessiveness in his eyes. “But-” she began, but he cut her off.

“No ‘buts’, Mallory. You agreed to this and that’s that. I want to take you to Venice.” His gaze turn hard, a bit menacing. He placed a strong finger under her chin, lifting her face so that she had no choice but to meet his eye. “And I always get what I want.”

God, he was an arrogant ass. But she could not deny the rush of heat to her sex at his words, remembering how he had captured her, restrained her as he manipulated her body so skillfully. She wanted more of that dark seduction, that much she knew.

“Don’t you want to go to Venice, Mallory?” He asked softly, his tone demanding a truthful answer.

“Yes,” Mallory herd herself admitting, her voice a whisper. She had always longed to go to Italy. She wanted to teach high-school history, and she yearned to visit the ancient historical sites of Europe.

Jake smiled a Cheshire-cat grin, knowing he had her trapped now. “Well then, what’s the problem? Come with me,” he said more earnestly, the lines of his face betraying anxiety again. Mallory was intrigued by this softer side of him, the real man beneath the hard mask. She wanted to know that man better, and she wanted to know the cocky Jake sexually now that he had awakened the dark carnal desires within her. And after all, Mallory admitted to herself a touch resentfully, it wasn’t as if she had anything to do here, no responsibilities, no job to go to.

“Fine,” she conceded, but she was sure to put a sharp edge to her voice, to mask the fact that she was secretly thrilled to accept his offer; she didn’t want him to get too big for his britches. She would be sure to challenge him at every turn, to make him see that she wasn’t some push-over he could win with over with his money. “But you have to let me call Sally to let her know where I’m going. That way I know you can’t kill me without someone knowing your MO.”

Jake chuckled at her again. “I can assure you that I will not murder you. You don’t have anything to fear from me.” But his smile was sly, a dangerous twinkle in his eye. Mallory gulped, knowing that she did have something to fear: that he would turn her to pliant jelly with his erotic ministrations.

It’s just fabulous sex, she assured herself. You want that don’t you? Just don’t let him get the upper hand again. Yeah, right. That would be so easy. “Okay,” she said, a bit acidly, “I’ll pack.”

Jake grinned despite her tone. “Excellent.”

He waited in the sitting room while she darted around her bedroom, throwing her favorite dresses into her bag. After a moment’s hesitation, she packed her sexiest lingerie as well; if she had any hope of being the seductress rather than the seductee, she would need all the weapons in her arsenal.

A few minutes later, her duffel was being loaded into the trunk of a black limo by the driver. Of course he has a driver. And of course he has a limo. Jake definitely liked nice things, and he definitely never did any mundane tasks for himself.

Once they were in the limo, Jake seated as close to her as possible despite the ample room, she decided to goad him. “Don’t you ever do anything for yourself?” She asked a bit condescendingly. The guy might be taking her to Europe, but that didn’t get the spoiled little rich boy off the hook.

Jake blinked at her, taken aback by her bluntness. He looked as though no one had ever spoken to him so frankly, and, to be honest, so rudely. Well it’s about time he had a dose of reality, Mallory thought to herself.

“What do you mean?” He asked, puzzled.

“You send your staff to fetch people, for one; you don’t answer your own door; and you don’t drive your own car. These are basic life skills.” She looked at him challengingly, daring him to contradict her.

“Well,” he began, a bit uncomfortably, “I do drive my own car sometimes. I love my Ferrari.”

Mallory snorted derisively. “Oh, how independent of you.”

Jake looked at her earnestly, his brow furrowed. The anxious man was back, clearly hurt by her words. “Why do you hate me, Mallory?” He asked.

Mallory was shocked. She didn’t hate him; she didn’t hate anybody. So why am I being such a bitch? Deep down, she realized that she resented him, although it rankled to admit it. She sighed. “I don’t hate you, Jake. I don’t know if I like you all that much, but I don’t hate you. It’s just… I can’t begin to understand your lifestyle. It’s like you’re from another planet or something.”

His strained expression eased, a small smile playing around his mouth. “Well, I’m sure we can manage to cross the cultural divide. I assure you that I’m not an alien. At least, I don’t think I am. Maybe I should check my family tree. My uncle Albert sure looks alien enough, poor fellow.”

Mallory couldn’t suppress a smile. So apparently Jake did have a lighter side behind the serious, dominant façade.

“And so far as you not liking me goes,” he continued, “I’m sure we can remedy that as well.” His grin turned wicked, and his hand moved to brush her upper thigh. Her pussy clenched just from his light touch. His hand eased upwards, nearing her sex.

“Spread your legs for me, Mallory,” he commanded.

She hesitated, torn between satiating the need that had arisen in her and her pride. Bolstering her will, pride won out.

“No,” she said breathily.

Jake abruptly withdrew his hand. “Suit yourself,” he said with a shrug. But Mallory was still burning with need, as if Jake had lit a fire within her that would not go out. His indifference toward her reaction, his coolness, only turned her on more.

I will not cave, I will not cave, she repeated to herself over and over again. He raised an imperious eyebrow at her.

“Anything you want to say?” He asked.

Yes! Touch me! She was just about to give in when the limo came to a stop.

“Too bad.” Jake looked like he was suppressing a laugh, entertained by her discomfort. “We’re here.”

Mallory’s attention was pulled away from the throbbing in her loins when the driver opened the door for her. Well, it lessened a bit at least. She blushed, sure that he could smell her wetness.

Don’t be ridiculous, she admonished herself, walking as confidently as she could out onto the tarmac. Jake’s arm was suddenly linked through hers, guiding her towards the private jet that was waiting for them.

Limos, Ferraris, private jets; Is there any luxury item that he doesn’t own? So long as she didn’t allow him to own her she would be just fine, she assured herself.

Jake took her hand, leading her carefully up the steps leading up to the jet. When they got inside, Mallory suppressed the urge to give a low whistle. There were no rows of seats in the jet, but four captain’s chairs set alongside the divide between the cabin and the cockpit and two long, padded bench seats lining either side of the plane. There were two pretty hostesses there to greet them. Well, they were more than just pretty.

Of course he only employs hot women. Mallory wondered if he had had sex with either of them, and was surprised to feel jealousy shoot through her gut. She chose to ignore the sensation, telling herself that it was just a physical reaction to her nervousness; she had never flown anywhere before.

Jake seemed to notice her discomfort as he guided her to one of the bench seats before sitting down beside her. “Are you alright, Mallory?” He asked, genuinely concerned.

She took a deep breath. “Yeah,” she said a bit shakily. “It’s just… I’ve never flown before.” She felt like such a peasant admitting it. Jake had probably been flying on private jets since before he could walk.

Jake touched a tender hand to her face, stroking his index finger down her cheek and the line of her jaw. Mallory felt the tension leave her as the heat between her legs returned.

Jake smiled. “I’m sure we can find a way to distract you,” he said, his voice low and seductive. As he spoke, he reached around either side of her, grasping her seat belt. As he drew it around her hips, he allowed his fingers to linger against her, sending tingles across her skin. When he finally clicked the buckle together, he pulled the tongue of the belt until it was almost uncomfortably tight, pressing her into the seat, trapping her there.

“Still nervous?” He asked, kindness bleeding into his seductive tone.

“Yes,” she admitted. “But not about flying.”

Jake chuckled, low and rumbling. And sexy as hell. He fastened his own seat belt, his face turning more serious. He gently grasped both of her slightly shaking hands in his. “We’re going to take off now. You have nothing to be afraid of, Mallory.”

She swallowed and nodded, reassured by his touch and his soothing tone. This was the Jake that she actually liked, the one that she wanted to get to know better; she was still on the fence about the cocky asshole side of him.

As the plane thundered down the runway, Mallory squeezed her eyes shut, and Jake tenderly stroked the insides of her wrists with his thumbs. The intimate contact distracted her from her fear, making it less terrifying when her stomach dropped as the jet began its ascent into the heavens.

Once they leveled out, the captain said over the intercom that it was safe for them to move around the cabin.

“Need more distracting?” Jake asked with a predatory smile. Mallory’s pulse quickened under his fingers and his smile broadened. Jake signaled to the hostesses and they disappeared into a compartment at the back of the plane. “I know it’s a cliché, but how would you like to become a member of the Mile High Club?”

“Ummm…” Mallory began uneasily, wanting him desperately but not wanting to admit it.

He placed a gentle finger to her lips, silencing her. “Quiet,” he said sternly. “You don’t want the staff to hear this, do you?”

Mallory’s eyes widened, horrified at the thought. She shook her head vigorously.

Jake suddenly grasped the nape of her neck and pulled her towards him for a fierce kiss. His tongue plundered her mouth, and she tried to match his intensity, to win a little bit of control in the kiss. She twined her fingers in his hair and tugged his head back, trying to assert her dominance. But his hand moved from the back of her neck to her throat, encircling it with his large hand. He did not apply any pressure, but the vulnerable position she was in awoke something primal in her, submission to a being stronger than herself. Her hand dropped from his hair immediately, and she meekly allowed him to continue fucking her mouth with his tongue. He growled into her mouth in satisfaction, squeezing her neck slightly to reinforce who was in charge.

Then she heard the click of her seatbelt being unbuckled, and she was being pulled forward by her throat, inexorably guided to the floor where Jake forced her to her knees until she was kneeling in front of him. She looked up into his eyes, panting. They were glinting with satisfaction.

“I believe you owe me something, Mallory,” he said matter-of-factly, reminding her of her promise that she had made after he had pleasured her at her house. She gulped, remembering the size of him that she had felt though his pants. Could she take that?

But then he was unbuckling his belt, unzipping his trousers. His cock sprang free, long and hard. Her mouth watered for him, wanting to please him as he had pleased her. Without a word, she compliantly parted her lips, taking the head of him into her mouth, her tongue swirling around it. Jake’s head tipped back and he groaned.

“That’s it, girl,” he said throatily. “Just like that.”

At his praise, Mallory increased her pace, taking him deeper into her mouth, laving the length of him with her tongue in between taking him with her lips. She felt Jake’s hand at the back of her head, pushing her down on his cock, dictating her rhythm. The loss of control made her wet. She moaned onto him, and his cock twitched at the vibrations. Jake suddenly grasped her hair and roughly jerked her off of him.

“I’m going to fuck you now, Mallory,” he said, his tone brooking no resistance.

Not bothering to remove his clothes in his haste to have her, Jake shoved her shoulders, making her fall onto her back on the cabin floor. She could feel the slight vibration of the jet; the sensation pervaded her pussy, making her clit throb. She needed him desperately, and he obliged.

Lowering himself over her, Jake shoved up the hem of her dress and pulled her thong aside. He thrust into her in one fluid motion. Mallory cried out as he fully seated his impressive length inside of her. She had never been with anyone so well-endowed, and it took her a moment to adjust to his size.

“Relax,” Jake said the command gently, stroking her hair. He paused to give her time to adjust. She melted at his tender touch, her pussy accommodating him. Feeling her give way to him, Jake began thrusting in and out of her, taking her hard and fast. The primal nature of how he fucked her increased Mallory’s need, and her sex began to contract around him as he hit her g-spot with every thrust. Her legs began to quiver with the beginnings of her orgasm.

Without warning, Jake slapped her across the face. It wasn’t particularly hard, but it stung, focusing Mallory’s whole attention on him rather than the feelings pervading her body. She should be furious with him at his disrespectful treatment, but looking up into his eyes, she saw no cruelty; there was nothing there but lust. She felt a responding flare of heat deep within her.

“Wait for me,” he reprimanded her. “Don’t come until I say.”

Mallory whined, desperate to finish but unable to defy him. Jake clamped his hand over her mouth, silencing her. “You don’t want the others to hear, do you?”

She shook her head as much as she could with his hand restricting her. But staying quiet became more and more difficult, and she found that she was grateful for his hand muffling her cries.

He grunted as he thrust into her unrelentingly. Then: “Come with me, Mallory!”

With his permission, Mallory finally let herself go, her orgasm all the more intense for him making her wait. Her pussy contracted around him over and over, milking his cock as he emptied his hot seed into her. As the final pleasurable shiver wracked her, she came back down to earth. She was suddenly exhausted, sighing sleepily, content. Jake turned her onto her side and positioned himself behind her, holding her against him with a strong arm around her waist. She felt him tenderly kiss her hair as her eyes closed.

Mallory slept deeply for the rest of the flight.