Tales of Darkness & Sin: An Anthology
Pepper Winters
Table of Contents
TITLE PAGE
SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
STALKER
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
POISONNED HEARTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
COLLATERAL HEARTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
THE DIRTY BARGAIN
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
EPILOGUE
THANK YOU
MR. FOSTER
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
NOT A DIRTY LITTLE SECRET
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HER CHRISTMAS PRESENT
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
FORBIDDEN FLAWS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
WITH THIS RING
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TYRANT STALKER
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
THANK YOU!
BESTSELLING AUTHORS INCLUDE:
ALEATHA ROMIG
A ZAVARELLI
ASHLEY JADE
CORA REILLY
GIANA DARLING
ISABELLA STARLING
JADE WEST
K WEBSTER
LUCIA FRANCO
LYLAH JAMES
NATASHA KNIGHT
PARKER S HUNTINGTON
PEPPER WINTERS
SAM MARIANO
SIERRA SIMONE
SKYE WARREN
SM SOTO
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the author; except in the case of a brief quotation embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This collection is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Cover Designer: Opulent Swag and Designs
Interior Formatting: TRC Designs
Sold To The Highest Bidder
Copyright © 2020 by Aleatha Romig and Skye Warren
Stalker
Copyright © 2020 by A. Jade and A. Zavarelli
Poisoned Hearts
Copyright © 2020 by Giana Darling and Parker S. Huntington
Collateral Hearts
Copyright © 2020 by K Webster and S.M. Soto
The Dirty Bargain
Copyright © 2020 by Lylah James and Cora Reilly
Mr. Foster
Copyright © 2020 by K Webster and Sam Mariano
Not A Dirty Little Secret
Copyright © 2020 by Giana Darling and Sierra Simone
Her Christmas Present
Copyright © 2020 by Jade West and Lucia Franco
Forbidden Flaws
Copyright © 2014 by Pepper Winters
With This Ring
Copyright © 2020 by Natasha Knight
Tyrant Stalker
Copyright © 2020 by Isabella Starling
CHAPTER ONE
Briana
The helicopter’s blades stopped.
A cold chill prickled my skin as I stepped from the helicopter, my sandals sinking in the soft sand. With the sun high, the torches surrounding the landing pad and lining the path were unlit, yet their presence was like breadcrumbs indicating the direction for us to go. From the depth of the foliage, a man in a light suit appeared.
“Welcome to Malaking Kuta.”
I’d been told the translation meant fortress. It was a fortress protected not by stone walls but by miles of sea complete with rip tides and currents guaranteed to keep boats away.
The man came closer and offered a nod of his head. When his eyes looked up, they were on me, scanning me from my painted toenails to my dark brown hair, lingering too long on my breasts, visible in the neckline of the dress Curtis had chosen. Yet, when our welcoming party spoke, I wasn’t addressed.
“Mr. Kidwell, Mr. Knapp was happy to receive your call.” He gestured toward the path. “Follow me.”
“I don’t know about this...” I whispered after the man had turned. “He seems...slimy.”
Immediately, Curtis’s hand went to the small of my back, leading me forward. “He is, but I’m here.” Curtis’s lips spoke near my ear. “Bri, you can do this.”
I inhaled, nodding with the knowledge that I’d promised to do what I could.
How was I to know what he would ask?
How could I know a place like this truly existed?
We moved forward, our guide leading us from the landing pad along a winding path to the group of main buildings we’d seen from the air.
With each step we were surrounded by paradise, from the tropical air filled with floral scents and sea breezes to the crystal blue sea of the South Pacific, glistening in all directions of this private island. After we’d flown for nearly twenty h
ours in an airplane, we’d boarded a helicopter. Leaving what little bit of civilization could be found, we’d flown by helicopter, watching through the windows as water overtook the world.
Finally, we arrived.
Despite the balmy breeze, I couldn’t shake the unease caused by Curtis’s request, the way the man stared, or perhaps from my decision to oblige in this farce.
Two days ago, Curtis and I were in our luxury penthouse in the cool and harsh world of Detroit.
With the slivers of sun shining through the dense foliage, my body tried to persuade me to enjoy the warm air and din of waves lapping a nearby beach. However, my mind was awhirl with what was at hand.
To say that our lives—or Curtis’s—were in flames would overstate the more concentrated concern that Curtis’s company, the one he inherited from his father, was in a low smolder. The markets were in peril and given the correct conditions, his corporation would ignite, causing total annihilation. It was a future he was willing to risk anything to save.
Anything.
Anyone.
Me.
I stilled as the palm trees thinned, looking out at the endless miles of sea.
There was no turning back.
“Mr. Kidwell, Ms. Pierce, this way,” the man leading our way said. “Mr. Knapp is waiting.”
Well, at least he knew my name.
What choices did I have if I refused to go forward?
Back to the helicopter.
No. The sound of its engines roared overhead as it left the island.
Could I convince Curtis there was another way?
No. Mr. Knapp was waiting.
Mr. Knapp was the man Curtis believed would be his savior in this time of trouble.
I reached for Curtis’s hand. “I’m not sure I can do this.”
My fiancé’s dark eyes simmered with emotions too many to differentiate. Together they created a boiling concoction that had only cooled enough to touch since my agreement to this scheme. He lifted my hand, bringing my knuckles to his lips. “I wouldn’t have asked you here if I thought anything would happen. You know that, Bri. Tell me you know.”
For only a moment, his gaze disappeared as his kiss brought warmth back to my flesh.
“How can you be certain?” I asked.
“Booker Knapp has a reputation.” Curtis’s eyes closed as the cords in his neck tightened.
With my hesitation, I was pushing him and I knew it. Nevertheless, I deserved more information. Now that we were here, I wanted reassurance.
“A reputation...?” I allowed the rest to go unsaid, hoping Curtis would give me more than he already had.
A few years ago, Curtis made the bold move to take controlling interest in the family empire, purposely leaving his brother in the wake. It was a coup of sorts. The two brothers had an uneasy relationship.
Personally, I’d always found Cameron more aloof, gruffer, and a bit intimidating. Curtis’s charisma attracted me before his good looks. Both brothers were blessed with devilishly handsome appearances.
Curtis’s plan for autonomy from his sibling worked and it didn’t.
While Curtis was finally free of Cameron’s intrusion, the transaction left Curtis in a financial predicament. The liquid assets Cameron acquired, he took with him to a new life in Tanglewood, where he created his own kingdom of sorts.
Determined to make the new arrangement work, Curtis turned to the unlikely investor, the Ivanov bratva, the ruling power in Detroit. Recent events have found Curtis again in need of an infusion of cash. The bratva was demanding payment, payment he didn’t have.
I’d suggested contacting another entity, one that could supersede the Ivanov bratva, the Sparrows of Chicago. It made sense that Sterling Sparrow would be interested in a piece of something belonging, at least in part, to the Ivanov bratva.
Curtis wouldn’t hear of it.
Instead, he had a plan, a plan that would bring in revenue without relinquishing more of his enterprise—at least permanently.
That was why we were here, on Malaking Kuta, Booker Knapp’s secluded island, the place where the rich came to get richer, deals were made, fortunes secured, and dreams fulfilled.
As my steps approached the large white mansion, I questioned whether it would be dreams I found or nightmares.
“A reputation for making dreams come true,” Curtis said. “Baby, my company is my dream. Here, we will save it.”
Together we climbed the steps leading up to the mansion.
It isn’t the only building upon the island, but it is the grandest, upon a hill. As the warm breeze blew the skirt of my dress and the wisps of hair around my face, I found myself mesmerized by the beauty. Upon the stately large porch, I took a deep breath as the double doors opened.
Beyond where we stood were voices, deep and husky. The scent of cigar smoke wafted toward us.
“Aww, Mr. Kidwell. It’s always nice to see a familiar face.” The gentleman speaking was younger than I expected, probably not even fifty, with just a touch of gray in his temples, enough that it made him distinguished without saying he’d aged.
And yet he too was sizing me from head to toe until his vile gaze landed upon Curtis.
Again, Curtis’s hand came to my back as he encouraged me forward. “Booker, I appreciate you accepting my offer. May I introduce my fiancée, Briana Pierce. She’s everything I promised.”
“Stunning.” Booker Knapp gestured for us to enter. “Please, we want to learn more about this lovely beauty.”
CHAPTER TWO
Cameron
I’m sitting in the corner of the room, my back to the wall, looking out at the suits and the glitter, a glass of scotch in my hand. Ice clinks against the crystal, slowly melting. I’m not planning on drinking what’s left. It’s for show along with the Bulgari cufflinks and Aubercy shoes. There’s endless entertainment on this island. Gambling and women. Street-illegal cars. I’m here for one purpose—business.
“Ground floor,” the man in front of me says. His name is Don. Dan? I’m not sure. Beads of sweat line his pale brow. “This kind of opportunity, it doesn’t come along every day.”
I have a hundred investment opportunities cross my desk on any given day. I’m not interested in ordinary. You don’t come to Malaking Kuta for ordinary. “What’s your role in the company?”
“Business. I’m the moneyman.” He laughs. “It’s my job to get us funding because this kind of market opening won’t last forever. A small investment, one point five mil, and we’d be global in two months.”
It would take closer to three million dollars and six months, but I don’t bother correcting him. It doesn’t matter. Gabriel Miller taught me everything I know about investing. Follow the dream. Someone in his company might have vision. It’s not Danny here. His dream is to cash out. The payday. He doesn’t care about the technology or about the lives it would impact.
Which means he’s worthless to me.
“Excuse me,” I say, setting down my drink and standing. I ignore his startled words and his promises to call me. I hope he doesn’t have my number.
There are a few people I came to the island to meet. A woman who rarely leaves her mansion in northeast China. A man who travels so much it’s hard to pin him down. A married couple who own an island in the Bay of Bengal. People who can deal with the large volume of cash Miller Industries is ready to invest. With the market tanking, this is the perfect time to build it back up.
Mr. Knapp stops me as I cross the room. A short man who looks perpetually angry. I think he tries to look pleased to see me, but it only comes off as a grimace. “Mr. Kidwell. We’re honored to have you here at Malaking Kuta. After our many invitations to Gabriel Miller, we thought he would never attend.”
I offer a bland smile. “Your persistence paid off.”
“And I’m certain you will be most pleased with the luxuries we have to offer. You must have seen your private cabin. Was it to your liking?”
The porch had been bigger than my firs
t apartment when I moved to Tanglewood. Only feet away from the lapping blue water. Blinding white sand. It would have been an oasis to someone on vacation. For me it held the same appeal as a dimly lit hotel room—a place to rest between making deals.
I’ll meet with Jade Changueng and Anand Shah and the Wilson couple. I’ll see if anyone else on the island is worth doing business with, and tomorrow, I’ll fly back to Tanglewood.
“It was satisfactory,” I tell Mr. Knapp.
He frowns. “No no, we want to do better than that. We wish to please you. That’s the purpose of Malaking Kuta—pleasure in all its forms. Would you like a woman sent to warm your bed tonight?”
The sexual daring of the island makes it legendary. If I want a woman, I’ll find her myself, among the bejeweled women sprinkling the crowd. Maybe it will be Jade Changueng, whose talents have distracted me for an hour or two before. “No, thank you.”
“Perhaps a man?” He gives a sneaky laugh. “Or both? Don’t worry if you have certain predilections. Our entertainment is well versed in the sexual arts. And tolerant. Very tolerant.”
Hell, he’s practically inviting me to beat them. “No.”
He brushes off my refusal with a pudgy hand. “They are too pedestrian for you, these practiced people. We have something much more interesting tonight for a man of your refined tastes.”
Christ. I keep thinking he’s going to run out of illicit things to offer. “Such as?”
“Fresh meat.”
A little flare of heat in my veins. That is interesting, but it shouldn’t be. Nothing matters except signing on the bottom line. Follow the dream. Find the people who will change the world. Give them enough money to do it and then reap the profits afterward. “Fresh meat.”
“We’re having an auction. Three specimens. All of them new to the island. All of them untrained.”
Jesus. The idea of initiating someone into sexual bondage, of that shiver of uncertainty, even fear—it shouldn’t be so appealing. I’ve fought for years to get rid of the desire. Only in the dark, alone, do I admit my wish to control someone. To own them. “I’m not sure I’ll attend. There’s work to do.”
“You must. You must. Everyone else will be there. No one will miss it.”
No, I doubt the people I want to deal with will miss the auction if it’s the entertainment of the evening. There’s a reason those people only emerge to this island—to sate their sexual appetites. Which means I’ll have to go along with it. I’ll have to watch someone be placed on an auction block, touched and examined, sold to the highest bidder. Lust rages inside me at the thought, but I force it down.
