Sweet Possession
Authors: Maya Banks
Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF MAYA BANKS
“A must-read author . . . her [stories] are always full of emotional situations, lovable characters and kick-butt story lines.”
—Romance Junkies
“Heated . . . romantic suspense . . . Intense, transfixing.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Definitely a recommended read . . . filled with friendship, passion, and most of all, a love that grows beyond just being friends.”
—Fallen Angel Reviews
“Grabbed me from page one and refused to let go until I read the last word . . . When a book still affects me hours after reading it, I can’t help but Joyfully Recommend it!”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“I guarantee I will reread this book many times over, and will derive as much pleasure as I did in the first reading each and every subsequent time.”
—Novelspot
“An excellent read that I simply did not put down . . . A fantastic adventure . . . covers all the emotional range.”
—The Road to Romance
“Searingly sexy and highly believable.”
—Romantic Times
Berkley Heat titles by Maya Banks
FOR HER PLEASURE
SWEET SURRENDER
BE WITH ME
SWEET PERSUASION
SWEET SEDUCTION
SWEET TEMPTATION
SWEET POSSESSION
SWEET SURRENDER
BE WITH ME
SWEET PERSUASION
SWEET SEDUCTION
SWEET TEMPTATION
SWEET POSSESSION
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, 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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PRINTING HISTORY
Heat trade paperback edition / April 2011
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Banks, Maya.
Sweet possession / Maya Banks.—Heat trade paperback ed.
p. cm.
eISBN : 978-1-101-47905-6
I. Title.
PS3602.A643S833 2011
813’.6—dc22
2010049778
CHAPTER 1
“
Y
ou’re out of your goddamn mind!”
Y
ou’re out of your goddamn mind!”
Pop Malone scowled at his son, Connor. “Watch your mouth. I can still wipe the floor with your scrawny ass.”
Connor wiped his hand over his short hair and clamped down on the top in an effort to pull it out. Nathan Tucker had the right idea by shaving his head. It was something Connor was going to have to look into if he kept getting bombs dropped on him.
“Pop,” Connor said in exasperation. “We install security systems. Sophisticated, state-of-the-art computer monitoring equipment. We do consulting. We evaluate security for other people. We are not a goddamn bodyguard service.”
Pop huffed, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against his adopted daughter’s desk. Faith stared wide-eyed at her father and brother but didn’t say a word. She was too glued to the conversation.
“If you’d stop your yammering for two seconds, I’d explain why you’re perfect for this job.”
“Oh boy,” Connor muttered. “I can’t wait to hear this. I’d better sit down for it.”
He flopped into one of the chairs in front of Faith’s desk and waited for his father’s latest harebrained scheme. Not that his father wasn’t a smart man. He was one of the most intelligent and cunning men Connor knew. It was the cunning part that bothered the hell out of him right now. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew he was fucked. And it looked like he was about to find out.
“Phillip Armstrong is a longtime friend. We go way back. Served together in the marines. He’s a big-shot record executive now and he has a big-name artist on his label.”
“What’s the name?” Faith piped in.
“Lyric Jones.”
Faith frowned.
“What’s the frown for?” Connor demanded. “What do you know?”
“You’ve never heard of her?” Faith asked.
“Does she sing country music?”
Faith chuckled and shook her head.
“Then I rest my case. So why the frown?”
“She’s a bit of a . . .”
“She’s difficult,” Pop said with no preamble. “But you’ve dealt with difficult before. She won’t be a problem for you.”
“Why is she my problem at all?”
“Because most of her security detail was fired. What was left quit. She has two bodyguards that are as useless as tits on a boar hog.”
“And I’m supposed to fix this?”
“Phillip is scrambling to hire a replacement firm. One better than the last since they sucked ass. His words, not mine. She only has one more show and then she’s going to be sort of on vacation here in Houston.”
Faith lifted an eyebrow. “Why the hell would she willingly vacation in Houston? I mean, a girl with that kind of money ought to go to Paris. Or Italy. Maybe a beach house in the Caribbean.”
“I said
sort of
because she’s doing a show at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo but she’ll be here a total of two weeks. She also has some signing and fan meet-and-greet at one of the downtown music stores.”
sort of
because she’s doing a show at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo but she’ll be here a total of two weeks. She also has some signing and fan meet-and-greet at one of the downtown music stores.”
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