Hooked (Decadence Nights Book 1) Read Free Page A

meat market full of posers and wannabes.”
    “I did?”
    “Yes, you called it that several times, as a matter of fact.”
    “Mm,” she grunted. “I guess I did. We haven’t been in a while.”
    Tilting her head, Livvy’s brows arched as she asked, “And why is that?”
    “Um, because it’s a meat market full of posers and wannabes.” A blush crept into her cheeks, and she had the grace to look ashamed when she added, “Maybe it’s changed.”
    “Em, I know you’re worried, but I’m a big girl. David went to the trouble of getting me this invitation and arranging an escort, so I’m going. If I don’t feel comfortable, I’ll leave, but you both said this is the best club in the southwest.”
    “It is, but I’m afraid it might be more than you can handle, Liv. I hear this club is the real deal. The owners are ex-Special Forces—Green Berets—big beefcake kind of men who don’t take shit from anyone, especially their subs.”
    “And your point is?”
    “Livvy.”
    “I’ll be careful. I’m not stupid, nor am I inexperienced, just a tad rusty.”
    “That’s what I’m saying. You haven’t had a Dom since Vaughn. How long has that been? Three years?”
    “So?” She didn’t want to think about Vaughn, not tonight, not ever. After two years as his submissive, one day, out of the blue, he ended it. She’d been crushed, especially when she saw him less than a month later with her replacement on his arm, a cute twenty-something blonde with unquestionably fake boobs, an extremely short skirt and wearing his collar.
    “You’re out of practice, honey. Maybe you should ease back into the game. Let me fix you up with Evan, David’s friend.”
    “He’s a kid.”
    “He’s thirty.”
    “Compared to me, that’s a kid. He’s also inexperienced. You said David only started mentoring him last month. No thanks.”
    “He’s a good-natured sweet guy.”
    “That’s just it, Em. I don’t want good-natured and sweet. I want a badass Dom.”
    “I think you’ve been reading too many BDSM romances, honey.”
    “Really? Is David good-natured and sweet, or does he get your heart pumping with only a look? Does the tone of his voice when he goes all alpha on you make you tremble with excitement? Moreover, when he tells you in no uncertain terms what to do in the bedroom, does he make your panties wet? If he lets you wear any, that is.”
    “Liv!” Emma gasped, her face flaming scarlet.
    “See? You have that. Why can’t I?” By verbalizing her own fantasies, she’d made herself hot. She glanced at her watch. “I gotta go.” She turned and started walking, knowing her friend would follow. “My clock is ticking.”
    “Wait!” Emma grabbed her arm, spinning her around. “Did you just say you wanted a baby? Since when? Is that what this is about?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Not that clock, my countdown to forty clock. After that, my odds at finding a husband and getting that white picket fence are a pathetic 2.6%. My pool of candidates is dwindling as we speak.”
    Livvy stopped again, causing Emma—who was on her heels—to brake hard to keep from plowing into her. She did want a baby, and a husband, and that white picket fence, but she wanted her husband to be her Dom as well. Was that too much to ask?
    At your age, yes. The unfortunate truth rattled around in her brain, as it always did when she went down this path. She’d done the research and the math on this extensively. Statistically speaking, if she reached forty without finding her man, her chances were a dismal slim to none.
    “2.6%,” she whispered. “Can you believe that?”
    Her friend scurried around in front, looking up into her face with a worried expression. “What do statisticians know about love and romance?”
    “Numbers don’t lie and if you eliminate all the vanilla men, my already miniscule odds of finding Master Right are cut by another two-thirds and that’s being generous considering only a third of that pool of men