Pure Wicked Read online

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  A Krewe of Hunters Novella

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  A With Me In Seattle Novella

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  A Mountain Masters Novella

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  A Dark Pleasures Novella

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  A Demonica Novella

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  An Eternal Guardians Novella

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  A Wait For You Novella

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  A Blacktop Cowboys ® Novella

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  Bayou Heat Novellas

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  A Dark Kings Novella

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  A Wicked Lovers Novella

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  A Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  A Midnight Breed Novella

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  A Krewe of Hunters Novella

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  A Desire Exchange Novella

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  A Bradens Novella

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  A Dark Protectors Novella

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  A MacKenzie Family Novella

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  A Wicked Lovers Novella

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  A Krewe of Hunters Novella

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  A MacKenzie Family Novella

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  A Scanguards Vampire Novella

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  A Demonica Novella

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  A Shattered Promises Series Prelude

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  A Masters of the Shadowlands Novella

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  A Blacktop Cowboys ® Novella

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  A Midnight Breed Novella

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  A Desire Exchange Novella

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  A Dark Pleasures Novella

  Also from Evil Eye Concepts:

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  A Stark International Novella

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  A Desire Exchange Novel

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  A Masters of the Shadowlands Novel

  Bundles:

  BUNDLE ONE

  Includes Forever Wicked by Shayla Black

  Crimson Twilight by Heather Graham

  Captured in Surrender by Liliana Hart

  Silent Bite by Tina Folsom

  BUNDLE TWO

  Includes Dungeon Games by Lexi Blake

  Azagoth by Larissa Ione

  Need You Now by Lisa Renee Jones

  Show My, Baby by Cherise Sinclair

  BUNDLE THREE

  Includes Roped In by Lorelei James

  Tempted By Midnight by Lara Adrian

  The Flame by Christopher Rice

  Caress of Darkness by Julie Kenner

  Wicked for You

  Wicked Lovers Book 10

  By Shayla Black

  Coming October 6, 2015

  Click here to pre-order!

  Ever since he rescued her from a dangerous kidnapper, Mystery Mullins has wanted Axel Dillon. When he returned her to her Hollywood father and tabloid life, she was grateful…and a little in love. Mystery wasn’t ready to let Axel go, even after the soldier gently turned her away because, at nineteen, she was too young.

  Now, six years later, Mystery is grown, with a flourishing career and a full life—but she’s still stuck on Axel. Disguised, she propositions him in a bar, and the night they spend together is beyond her wildest dreams. Mystery steels herself to walk away—except the sheets are barely cold when her past comes back to haunt her.

  Once he realizes Mystery isn’t the stranger he thought, Axel is incensed and intrigued. But when it’s clear she’s in danger, he doesn’t hesitate to become her protector—and her lover—again. And as the two uncover a secret someone is willing to kill for, Axel is determined to claim Mystery’s heart before a murderer silences her for good.

  * * * *

  Axel Dillon . . . Even the thought of him turned her inside out.

  Mystery glanced around the bar again, easing farther inside. Some biker types in the far corner playing pool eyed her. The bartender still stared down his pierced nose at her. Three cops huddled together all focused on her. Did they think she was casing the place for a robbery? She had to stop standing in the middle of the room like an idiot. Take a seat and order a drink.

  Finally, her head forced her body to obey, and she eased into a little booth near the back. Once she’d seated herself, everyone around her started talking again. And from her new vantage point, she could see the back half of the bar, previously obscured by the wall of televisions.

  There he sat, absently staring at ESPN and sipping a beer, his profile strong. As usual, his rugged face was unreadable. He still kept his dark-blond hair military short. And he still looked like the side of a mountain. Somewhere around six foot five, he’d always been built big, but in the last few years, she’d swear he’d put on another slab of muscle. His tight black T-shirt hugged every hard swell and lean dip, tapering past a flat belly to narrow hips. She had to hold in a sigh. Even a single glance of him made her heart knock against her ribs and everything below her waist tingle. Mystery swallowed.

  He didn’t once look her way. Somehow, she’d hoped their stares would lock. He would approach her, want her, and whisk her away for a spectacular night of unbridled sex that would blow away both her panties and her mind. That had been another one of her fantasies. Right now, he clearly had no idea she existed.

  On shaky knees, she stood again and headed in his direction. She tried not to stare. A glance up at the television proved he watched a recap of a pro basketball game. With a grunt, he glanced down into the neck of his beer bottle as she slid onto the empty stool beside him.

  Now that he was so near, Mystery could feel his body heat, smell him—rugged earth, cut wood, musk. Damn, being this close made her feel both safe and weak.

  “Something on your mind?” He turned to her, his stare expectant.

  She searched his expression and didn’t see a hint of recognition on his large, blunt face. What a relief. But the cleft in his chin and his bright blue eyes still made her feel weak and wanting. That instant chemical attraction she’d felt years ago hadn’t waned in the least.

  “There is.” She mimicked the British accents she’d been surrounded with since she’d fled the U.S.—and him—over six years ago.

  Her assertion obviously surprised him. Though he narrowed his eyes, they pierced her.

  “I’ll bite. Lay it on me.”

  The bartender chose that moment to come around and plunk a napkin in front of her. “Now that you found a seat, you want a drink?”

  A glass of vino sounded heavenly. “Do you have a wine list, please?”

  He snorted. “No. I got three types: red, white, and pink.”

  Mystery paused. She hadn’t expected anything private label, but surely more of a selection than that.

  “Is the white a pinot grigio?”

  The bartender looked as if he was losing patience. “I don’t know what kind that is, but the jug of white I have is as clos
e as I’ve got. You want some or not?”

  That could be seriously terrible booze. She’d been willing to give up designer for the night and leave her Tiffany baubles at her hotel, but she’d spew if she drank the equivalent of Boone’s Farm.

  “Then I’ll have a glass of water, please.” Better to keep a clear head, anyway. “Thank you.”

  As he turned and grabbed a glass, the bartender shook his head and muttered something to himself. Mystery really didn’t want to know what.

  “I’m not sure what threw him off more, your accent or your request.” The corner of Axel’s mouth lifted in amusement, giving her a flash of dimples.

  She’d forgotten the way his smile could soften his harsh face. She grinned back. “He seemed quite ruffled.”

  A moment later, the young, pierced guy set a glass in front of her with lots of ice and a bit of water, sans lemon. She blinked, and her colored contacts jabbed her eyes with a reminder of their existence. Or maybe it was a warning that her plan would likely fail spectacularly.