Lendle

Jayla Simmons never imagined herself working in a place like Vice, but what's a girl to do when she has a child to support all on her ownH? Her disdain for the place isn't limited to her occupation. Her boss, Carter Rossi, has had a strange fixation on her since she started dancing at Vice, and though she's reluctant to admit it, she's drawn to him as well. Carter Rossi is tired of the cat and mouse game he's been playing with Jayla's since the day she walked into his club. The son of Don Antonio Rossi has been denied few things in life, and Jayla Simmons will be no exception. He'll have her by any means necessary. -Excerpt-I killed the engine, and braved the cold, not looking forward to climbing the two flights of stairs to my apartment. I scurried over to the bottom of the first flight of stairs, and reached out to grasp the railing. Instead of the frost-covered, metal rail, my hand came in contact with another hand that was much bigger than mine, and protected from the cold by a glove. I was then yanked away from the staircase, another gloved hand covering my mouth before I could scream. I fought futilely as my attacker pulled me into the stairwell; the sting of tears came, unbidden, to my eyes. “Forgive me, Jayla,” was whispered into my ear before I felt a sharp pinch in my arm, and the world went black. The fog of sleep began to dissipate, taking the numb feeling that had settled in my limbs with it. I opened my eyes to a scarlet canopy overhead. I sat up quickly, and almost instantly regretted it. My brain seemed to bounce against my skull, causing me to grip the sides of my head in an effort to quell the pain. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders, and shoved them away with a small cry of fear. “Jayla, it's me,” Carter Rossi' voice called out to me.Confusion, was what I felt initially. Where was I? why wasn't I at home, and why was Carter Rossi here holding me? I tried hard to conjure up images of my most recent memories. Images quickly flashed in my mind; each of them vague as if they were scenes from a movie I d recently seen instead of my own memories. I saw myself parked outside my apartment building. I watched as I hurried toward the stairs, and then I felt the bone-gripping terror as I was grabbed. The last thing I remembered was the prick of a needle, and then darkness.“You drugged me,” I accused in a small, disbelieving voice. It was the only explanation. “It was just a mild sedative, I promise,” he vowed. “Who does that? What's going on? Why am I here?” He reached out to touch me again, but I just scooted farther away from him. “You better not have done what I think you've done, Carter Rossi.”“I didn't do anything, except finally take what was mine,” he said taking a step closer.“You re completely out of your mind,” I accused, and surreptitiously started backing toward the bedroom door. “Don't bother with the door, Jayla. It s locked, and I have the only key.” “Mr. Rossi, this isn't funny.” “I agree, Jayla; there s nothing funny about offering your heart to someone only to have them repeatedly discard it like it's garbage,” he practically snarled. “How long was I out?” I asked as I absentmindedly scraped my nails across the injection site on my arm. Instead of answering my question, he took my arm gently in both of his hands and examined it. “I'm sorry for this,” he murmured sincerely. “But not for kidnapping me?”“No,” he confirmed.“How long was I out?” I repeated. “Twelve hours and forty-three minutes,” he answered easily.I nodded my understanding. “So what now?”“Now,” he drawled, “I make you fall in love with me.” “Good luck with that,” I snorted.“I won't need it.” -End of Excerpt- Look for my other work under Jessica N. Lane.