'His Wrath, Her Honor' by E.M. Bryant

Book blurb:
 
“Amuse me, would you? How many of the town’s finest have sampled your fresh eagerness?”

Nick Banes is spiteful, rude, malicious, perverted, and downright hateful...And his fury for the charitable but vulnerable Simone Silver knows no bounds. Early spring thunderstorms turn their tumultuous working relationship into a full-blown battle of wits and wills. Fueled with fire and lust, Nick torments Simone until she begins to unravel. Will he find his humanity and save her from herself, or will he let the flames consume her?

Read an excerpt:

Nick arrived an hour late, blaming the torrential rainfall. It had been a bad storm, and as Simone waited for him, the tornado sirens had gone off twice. While the atmosphere at last appeared to calm down, he was far from it.

He nodded his head at her as he stumbled into the back restaurant. Soaked head to toe, he pulled off his raincoat, saturating Astrid's freshly waxed floor. And then she was reminded that Astrid and Reese had left to gather tables and chairs. She was there alone. With Nick.

"Well, my little rain goddess," she noted immediately that his tone was even sharper than usual. "I've been meaning to ask you something." She was too nervous to even respond. "What is the going price for virginity on the market today?"

Stunned, she bit her tongue. All he had to do was sign off on the totals. . .

"Oh, come now, my dear. No need to be shy about it. Just how much is it worth to you?"

"Why?" She watched him pull off his shirt, which had even been drenched under the raincoat. He rung it out over the floor, then sat down in a chair across from her. His brown hair, which he wore longer than most men well into their 30s, hung around his face. Water droplets fell onto his shoulders and down his chest.

"Let's barter, my dear. No more games. I'm done playing."

"What are you talking about?"

He slammed his fist on the table. "'What are you talking about,' she says." As he mocked her, his eyes were fixed onto hers, and she was suddenly terribly afraid his next violent move would be against her. "I mean, YOU. What do you want in exchange for your virtue?"

She shook her head in disgust. "Why do you insist on bringing this up constantly?"

"Because I want it."

"You want my. . ."

"Yes, your virginity. I want it. I want YOU, rain goddess. Now, name your price."

Her anger overtook her fear. "How DARE you!" She stood, facing down on him. "What have I done to make you treat me this way?!"

He would have none of her temperament. He stood up, leaning over the table, making her feel small. "You brought the rain, didn't you?" He sneered in contempt. "You walk around MY town, looking the way you do, smiling and being cheerful to EVERYONE but ME. And from day one, I have suffered your simpering little small talk with Astrid, and your treacherous tongue toward me."

"You deserve my anger!"

"As you deserve MINE."

He reached over, grabbing for her. She backed up too quickly, though, and got to the bar before he was able to grab her by the waist. "NO! Let me go!" His hold was so tight, he picked her up off the floor, swinging her around to face him. She raised her hand and slapped him as hard as she could.

Another mistake.

He pinned her against the bar, pressing his body into hers, and holding her arms out to the side. He was too close for her to even kick at him, so she jerked her body maniacally, pathetically trying to twist away.

"Rain goddess," he hissed at her. "I want your price. Name it."

 On sale for 99 cents through 9/30!

Bio:

E.M. Bryant is a writer who hails from Southeast Missouri. She has a background in literature, and a passion for Medieval and American Folklore. An interest in the paranormal sparked Bryant to begin writing a trilogy involving all of these elements.

Her first book, RAPTURE, was published in March 2013 via Xlibris Corporation, and has received favorable reviews. Bryant's second full-length book, AWAKE, is scheduled to debut late summer 2013.

Raised in the Bible Belt, her stories often reference religious topics, paying special attention to subjects like predestination and sexuality. Controversial, perverse, and witty, Bryant's writing aims to target, frighten, and seduce the reader.

For additional works, please visit: http://darkanddirtybooks.com/

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