Meet Marco Valenti in Hook by Elisabeth Grace!
NOW LIVE!
Blurb
Women
loathed me without even knowing my name.
Men
coveted the very idea of me.
Escort.
Call girl. Prostitute. Hooker. Whore.
I'd heard
it all. Done it all.
Over the
years I'd felt a lot of things about my occupation...but not regret--never
regret. I had my reasons for doing what I did and nothing and no one had ever
made me question them.
UNTIL MARCO VALENTI.
He'd
changed me and I'd naively fed into the fairy tale.
But Marco
wasn't my Prince Charming.
He had
secrets of his own.
Secrets
that would eventually rip away everything I held dear.
Excerpt
Marco leaned into me,
his breath fanning across my face, causing goosebumps to race across my skin.
“You’re very stubborn for someone who’s paid to provide me pleasure. É una fortuna che mi
piacciono le sfide.”
“What was that?” I
asked softly.
“Good thing I enjoy a
challenge,” he replied without blinking.
I cleared my throat,
uncomfortable with the level of attention he was giving me. “Why don't we get
on with what I'm here for,” I suggested in a sultry voice.
His eyes narrowed. “As
you wish. Your madam says you are like a...” He looked off toward the ceiling.
“The animal that changes color.”
“A chameleon?”
“That is the one.” He
smiled widely, showcasing a dimple in his left cheek, made more pronounced by
the dark stubble on his jaw. As sudden as the ferocity had flared up inside of
him, it quickly disappeared.
“It's true. I can be
whatever you want,” I replied in a seductive voice. I closed the distance
between us, placing my hand on his chest. He flinched at the contact like I'd
scorched him. Not a lot, but enough that I noticed.
Looking up into the
depths of his dark eyes, I said, “Why don't you tell me what you're looking
for, and then we can discuss any extras in my payment.”
The smile dropped from
his face and he reached for my wrist, pulling my hand from his chest. “What I
want from you will be very different than most men.”
My eyes widened and I
sucked in a breath. This ought to be interesting. I'd had all manner of things
proposed to me before, but the fact that Marco felt the need to warn me set off
alarm bells ringing in my head.
“And what is it you
want from me, Mr. Valenti?” I whispered.
“Call me Marco.”
“Alright, Marco.”
He traced his thumb
along my hairline and stared down at me, intensity pouring out of his gaze like
a waterfall. My breathing hitched, and I found myself wanting to lean into his
caress to further close the distance between us.
Then the hum of his
cell phone vibrating from his pocket broke our connection. He reached into his
pocket, glanced briefly at the screen, and stepped back to take the call.
“As always, your
timing is impeccable.” The corners of his mouth dipped, and I had the distinct
impression that he wasn’t pleased with whoever was on the other end of the
line.
Marco listened for a
moment while staring out the wall of glass down to the strip below. His hand
holding the phone flexed around it for a second at something the other person
had said.
“Give me five
minutes,” he bit out.
Another pause.
“Well, if you want it
to happen tonight, you have no choice but to wait.” Without a goodbye, he ended
the call and placed the phone back into the breast pocket of his suit jacket.
With his hands on his
hips, he remained facing the window for a moment, drawing in deep breaths of
air.
“I must go.”
Not what I was
expecting to hear. “Okay...”
He turned and stalked
forward until only mere inches separated the two of us. His large hand came to
rest at the swell of my hip before he leisurely dragged it across my waist and
brushed the side of my breast with his palm. My nipples tightened inside my
lace bra.
Marco dropped his hand
and leaned into me. My heart picked up pace inside my chest as I waited for his
lips to touch mine. He stood solid and still before me while I waited, my
anticipation like a live wire setting every nerve ending in my body on fire.
Just when I thought
he’d close those final few inches, he brought his face alongside mine and his
low voice sounded in my ear, “I’ll get you your money.”
His words were like a
bucket of cold water, and I stepped back as if he’d slapped me. It pissed me
off that he’d left me wanting.
He stalked back over
to the bar and returned a moment later with an envelope. I eyed the cash inside
before placing it in my purse. It seemed ridiculous to me that I’d be paid for
having a conversation in the man’s room for such a short time, but I wasn’t
about to argue with him about it.
“It’s been a pleasure,
Mr. Valenti.” I made sure to use his last name since he’d asked me not to. I
had a tendency to lash out when I was upset.
An amused grin formed
on his face, but he said nothing. I strutted around him to the suite door.
As I unlocked the dead
bolt then slid the chain across, Marco’s hand landed on my ass, skimming over
it a few times before his other hand pulled my hair to the side to expose my
neck.
I hadn’t even heard
him come up behind me.
He pressed a kiss to
the base of my neck and I shuddered, shivers racing up my spine. I felt his
smile against my skin before he removed his lips and stepped away.
Without a backward
glance, I turned the door handle and left the suite.
The warm feeling that
had invaded my chest remained, but my stomach fell into a nauseous churning.
Somehow my body knew what I didn't already. Marco Valenti would be the
springboard in my life that caused everything to change.
Book Trailer
REVIEW:
4 STARS
A very fast paced novel. It captures you complete attention from the very first chapter and holds it with the suspense in the book. I am looking forward the the next book.
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling author, Elisabeth
Grace, has a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot
spot for alpha males! She currently lives outside Toronto, Canada with her
hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never to busy for a good story
and to share her love of reading and writing with others.
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