Slave To Love

Slave To Love

Bridget Midway

Published by Phaze Books

By Bridget Midway

Adam and E-V-E

C-A-I-N and A-B-E-L

Walls

Fascination Street

Corporate Seduction

Corporate Needs

Corporate Desires

Original Sin

Love My Way

Sodom and Gomorrah

Suburbia

Licorice Whips

Woman in Chains

Last Call

Slave To Love

This is an explicit and erotic novel

intended for the enjoyment

of adult readers. Please keep

out of the hands of children.

www.Phaze.com

Slave To Love

Copyright © 2014 by Bridget Midway

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Edited by Kathryn Lively

Cover Art © 2015 by Niki Browning

First Edition August 2015

eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-851-1

Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-60659-852-8

Published by:

Phaze Books

An imprint of Celeritas Unlimited LLC

6457 Glenway Ave., #109

Cincinnati, OH 45211

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, Celeritas Unlimited LLC, 6457 Glenway Avenue, #109, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211, [email protected].

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

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Dedication

When I originally wrote
Love My Way
back in 2006, I never intended to write a sequel. I didn’t think I could top that story, and I couldn’t figure out how a submissive could pick her Dom or Domme in a reality TV show. Readers read
Love My Way
and constantly asked for a sequel. They wanted to know what happened with Eagan Morton and Ananda “Begonia” Zelder.  There were contestants who stuck with them that they wanted to know what they were doing now. When I reread my own work, my mind went straight to Eagan’s brother, Christian. Who was this man who Eagan couldn’t make time for when he planned his show? What were his problems that Eagan thought matched his host, Tony Artini? What’s his story? Then I remembered when I wrote
Love My Way
I did it to challenge myself as a writer. I couldn’t imagine if a show like this were to exist today, how it would air. Would it work? I applied that thinking to
Slave to Love
.

Years ago, I had started and stopped a sequel so many times, I could have written the book ten times by now. None of the efforts felt right. When I plotted this one and started writing it, I got that same feeling I did when I wrote
Love My Way
. I couldn’t wait to get home and return to my “friends,” the ones I created in the story. Hopefully, you all will feel the same with this book.

Because readers were the ones who prompted me to write a sequel, I wrote this book as sort of a “love letter” to you. You all represent the wide-eyed wonder that my heroine, Taren Kerrigan, has with the world of BDSM. I guess to that end, I would represent the hero, Christian Jace Morton, who is opposed to all of this.

I wouldn’t be where I am without you readers. For that reason, I chose to do something in this book that I’ve never done before. A couple of people contacted me to do them a “favor” in my next book. I did that and then some. I sincerely hope that everyone takes my work and especially my characterizations as flattery. I find readers sexy and smart and kind.

Besides the readers, I want to give a huge thanks to slave into, Miss Paula, and the group at Virginia Dommes and male submissives under the T.I.E.D. organization. This group of people have taught me so much about BDSM and making me see it for the true relationship that it is.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to thank the woman who truly brought me into the fold. That woman was Mistress Dama de Noche, author of
The ABC’s of BDSM
, and someone I called my friend. She always supported my craft with words of wisdom, demonstrations and by coming to all of my local book signing events. You were classy, smart, generous, and the toughest sadist I knew. I miss you so much. Rest in peace, my friend.

As always, a big, huge thank-you to Phaze Books for never letting me down when I ask them to put a book in print in time for an event, and to my editor, Kathryn Lively, who is always balanced, fair, and right on the money when it comes to edits.

Thank you to my man, The Jimmy. Thank you for giving me my space and showering me with kisses whenever I needed it. I love you.

Chapter One

Jace Morton wanted some time by himself to collect his thoughts, get his mind right before the award ceremony. Too bad the hotel lobby he stood in offered no peace or privacy. Guests checking into their rooms glanced at him.

He wore an all-black suit with a striking cobalt blue tie, something his mother selected. If she hadn’t chosen it and begged him to wear it, he would have gone to this event with his shirt unbuttoned at the top and as casual as he could. Only his mother had the power to sway him.

He peered at the main entryway into the Cavalier Hotel, checking to see if one special guest arrived. The bright lights in the lobby put a spotlight on everyone in the space. No way could anyone hide.

Jace paced around the small area he occupied. His shiny black leather shoes hadn’t been properly broken in yet and they pinched the sides of his feet. Damn wide feet. Big man problems. At least his suit fit him like a glove. Great having a tailor.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, half-expecting to find an old friend. He’d given up cigarettes recently, and dropped other harmful vices years ago. Some habits he couldn’t ignore no matter how hard he’d tried. So far, he’d kept the urges at bay.  

“Great night, huh?” Another construction company owner popped up in front of Jace’s view. A big smile split the cherubic man’s face.

Jace shook the stranger’s chubby hand to get him moving on as fast as possible. “Yes, it’s an honor to be nominated.” He patted the shorter man’s shoulder whose name had escaped him.

Bob? Bill? Brady? Hell, who knew? Did it really matter? Jace had built his business alone with little help from his family. He’d earned this “Builder of the Year” nomination based on his merits. Associating with other business owners didn’t benefit him.

“All the action right now is happening in the ballroom.” Jace pointed to the room where he’d have to give a sincere speech about his accomplishments in the world of construction and real estate once he won the award.

He had to think of himself as a winner. It would be too easy to let doubt cloud his thoughts. He had done that for far too long. 

Billy Bob, as Jace now thought of the visitor in front of him, carried a quaky smile as Jace nudged him toward the room with soft lighting, bathing the guests in a dim glow. His hard-soled shoes reminded Jace of a toddler learning about the joys of running after figuring out she could walk.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Billy Bob stumbled on his steps as he tried keeping his stare on Jace while walking away from him.

Jace glanced at his watch. “I need some time before it all starts.”

No use keeping the conversation going, Jace turned his back on him to put his attention guests coming in the door. He glanced at his watch. Would he make it in time?

Jace felt a light touch on his arm. He started to turn and lay into Billy Bob for encroaching upon his space again. When Jace saw his mother’s face, his shoulders relaxed. Although he wanted to smile, he couldn’t.

“You’re looking a little tight.” She brushed her hands down Jace’s lapels then quickly adjusted her gauzy tan shawl around her shoulders.

Despite it being the beginning of July, his mother still carried a pale complexion. Jace had hoped his mother would venture outside more, visit friends, get some sun.

“I’m fine, Mom.” Jace attempted to offer a pleasant expression but couldn’t muster one.

He should have been able to be happy for a family member who had always supported him, even during his darker days. He wanted to see his whole family behind him.

He stared at his mother. She’d kept her blonde hair with bits of gray strands peeking through in short cut. She’d desired simplicity, she’d claimed, when she’d gotten the style shortly after Jace’s father had died a few years ago.

People had always told Jace that he had his mother’s looks. He certainly didn’t get his height from her. Her diminutive stature had him peering down at her.

She’d lost some of the weight she’d gained when his father had become sick. Emotional eater, she’d said to explain the change. Her light blue eyes sparkled when she smiled. It helped that the lines around her eyes looked like rays coming from the sun.

“You were always a bad liar.” She patted his shoulder. “I’m very proud of you, son. I know you’ll win. And if you don’t, screw ‘em.” 

Jace took her hand from his shoulder and kissed the back of it. “Thanks.” He glanced at the door. He didn’t know his mother would have caught the break in attention.

“Did he say he was coming?” Aileen held onto her small, silver purse with both hands. She glanced at a passing waiter carrying a tray full of champagne glasses. She quickly brought her attention back to him after swallowing hard.

Jace clutched her hand harder to let her know he had her back. “I called him and left him a message. I sent him an email.” His shoulders tightened with each desperate admission about trying to wrangle his older brother to an important event happening in his life.

“Did you go see him?”

Jace tried hard not rolling his eyes at his mother’s naïve inquiry. “You think Eagan is sitting up in his house in Virginia Beach waiting for me to show up?” He shook his head. “He’s off producing more movies and TV shows. He could care less——”

“Don’t say that.” Aileen shook her head when she interrupted her son. “Eagan cares. He loves you. So does Ananda.”