Title: SEDUCTION SQUAD: TAINTED
Author: Amanda Stewart
Publisher: Carina Press
Pages: 111
Genre: Erotic Romance
The members of Seduction Squad are beautiful, skillful and
deadly. Trained in the twin arts of seduction and assassination, their mission
is to discover the darkest secrets of the world's most powerful men.
Sex, secrets and
slaughter
On Christie Mason's eighteenth birthday, crime boss Theo
Ward took her virginity and walked out of her life without a backward glance.
She's quietly nursed a broken heart for ten years, but now, all signs point to
Theo having masterminded her father's downfall. For that, "Uncle
Theo" will pay.
In exchange for induction into the Seduction Squad, Christie
will gain access to Theo's lavish floating sex party and take out a powerful
Colombian politician—one of the Squad's untouchable targets.
What she'll do to Theo is her reward.
Christie hadn't bargained on her body betraying her, or on
Theo still being all she ever wanted. And while Theo can't get enough of Christie,
he's suspicious—and on borrowed time: Christie's not the only party guest out
for revenge.
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Book Excerpt:
“Theo Ward is out to get
me.” My father had said that just before his arrest.
“Theo did this.” His
last words as they took him down to the cells. He killed himself later that
day.
Now I was out to get
Theo Ward. I had nothing to lose. After the scandal of my father’s disgrace, my
business had taken a nose dive into oblivion. My social life had died along
with it. Invitations had dried up, friends had stopped calling,
acquaintances…well, I didn’t seem to have any. I had gone from socialite to
outcast in a single, tarnished bound.
I learned about the
Seduction Squad from my father. We had never been close, but we had made those
prison visits count. For the first time, we had really talked to each other.
And we had touched on the subject of Theo. The man whose life was so closely
entwined with ours. I hadn’t gotten the whole story, but my father had finally
mentioned his name.
“Bastard is bulletproof.
Even the Seduction Squad can’t get close.” My father’s voice had been bitter.
“Seduction Squad?”
He had clammed up then
and it had taken some time to pry the details from him. He said it wasn’t the
sort of thing a man discussed with his daughter. Eventually, he told me. Over
the years, my holier-than-thou father had used the services of a unique
organization to find out his enemies’ secrets. That organization was known as
the Seduction Squad.
Even though I was
shocked to discover this hypocritical side of my father, I was fascinated. To
someone brought up protected from anything remotely erotic, it sounded so
glamorous. The Seduction Squad were the modern-day equivalent of Mata Hari, the
infamous spy who used her body to entice powerful men to part with secrets. The
Squad was based on the sixteenth-century team known as the Escuadrón Volante, or Flying Squadron. Working on the orders of the
French Queen, Catherine de’ Medici, they were a hand-picked team of beautiful
courtesans who had ensnared the most influential men in the land.
The Seduction Squad was
a private company. Governments, businesses, even wealthy individuals such as my
father, paid its manager, a woman known as the Signora, millions for the
services of its members.
Moderation had never
appealed to me. If I was going to get my revenge on Theo, it was going to be
absolute. I was going to make him pay for that night ten years ago and for the
pain I had endured ever since. He was going to regret ruining my father out of
petty spite and causing his death. And it turned out the Signora had a very lucrative contract lined up…one
that could only be fulfilled if she could get an operative on board The Dark Side.
I knew now, of course,
that being part of the squad wasn’t glamorous. My induction had been grueling
and gritty. I had learned my new trade from an experienced sex worker and a
trained assassin. There had been times when I thought I wouldn’t make the
grade. Times when I hoped I wouldn’t.
After a particularly
hard day, Jake, the squad’s Head of Security, had taken me to one side.
“You look like the
princess who has escaped from a fairytale, but no matter what I throw at
you—kickboxing, pistol shooting, assault course—you come out on top. What is it
with you? Do you need the money?” The squad paid well and the Signora looked
after her girls.
“No. I have an old score
to settle.” I had smiled. “But when I’ve done that, the money is going to
help.”
At the end of my
training, Jake had handed me a graduation present. It was a T-shirt with a
picture of a cute kitten holding a blood-stained machete between its paws. The
words Killer Pussy were embroidered underneath. “Only Seduction
Squad members can understand what those words really mean.” He had unzipped his
jacket to show me he was wearing the same design. “And me, because I live with
one.” Although they were totally professional when they were together, I had
discovered from some of the other girls that Jake and the Signora were an item.
I had brought the
T-shirt with me on this cruise, even though I figured I wouldn’t get a chance
to wear it. It was a reminder of what I had been through to get here.
There was still plenty
of time before I needed to dress in the clothes that would take me back in
time. I sank lower in the water, sliding my hand between my legs. Closing my
eyes, I pictured Theo’s face. His looks had a devilish edge, like a fallen
angel or a hell-raising rock star. With pale skin and thick black hair that
always managed to look tousled…as if he—or maybe someone else—had been dragging
impatient fingers through it. His features were carved from granite with a
determined, stubbled chin and cheekbones so chiseled they should be illegal.
But it was his eyes. The memory of those onyx depths, so dark it was impossible
to distinguish between the pupil and iris. If the eyes were the window to the
soul, the bleak, beautiful intensity of Theo’s gaze held its own warning.
“Theo Ward is out to get
me.” My father had said that just before his arrest.
“Theo did this.” His
last words as they took him down to the cells. He killed himself later that
day.
Now I was out to get
Theo Ward. I had nothing to lose. After the scandal of my father’s disgrace, my
business had taken a nose dive into oblivion. My social life had died along
with it. Invitations had dried up, friends had stopped calling,
acquaintances…well, I didn’t seem to have any. I had gone from socialite to
outcast in a single, tarnished bound.
I learned about the
Seduction Squad from my father. We had never been close, but we had made those
prison visits count. For the first time, we had really talked to each other.
And we had touched on the subject of Theo. The man whose life was so closely
entwined with ours. I hadn’t gotten the whole story, but my father had finally
mentioned his name.
“Bastard is bulletproof.
Even the Seduction Squad can’t get close.” My father’s voice had been bitter.
“Seduction Squad?”
He had clammed up then
and it had taken some time to pry the details from him. He said it wasn’t the
sort of thing a man discussed with his daughter. Eventually, he told me. Over
the years, my holier-than-thou father had used the services of a unique
organization to find out his enemies’ secrets. That organization was known as
the Seduction Squad.
Even though I was
shocked to discover this hypocritical side of my father, I was fascinated. To
someone brought up protected from anything remotely erotic, it sounded so
glamorous. The Seduction Squad were the modern-day equivalent of Mata Hari, the
infamous spy who used her body to entice powerful men to part with secrets. The
Squad was based on the sixteenth-century team known as the Escuadrón Volante, or Flying Squadron. Working on the orders of the
French Queen, Catherine de’ Medici, they were a hand-picked team of beautiful
courtesans who had ensnared the most influential men in the land.
The Seduction Squad was
a private company. Governments, businesses, even wealthy individuals such as my
father, paid its manager, a woman known as the Signora, millions for the
services of its members.
Moderation had never
appealed to me. If I was going to get my revenge on Theo, it was going to be
absolute. I was going to make him pay for that night ten years ago and for the
pain I had endured ever since. He was going to regret ruining my father out of
petty spite and causing his death. And it turned out the Signora had a very lucrative contract lined up…one
that could only be fulfilled if she could get an operative on board The Dark Side.
I knew now, of course,
that being part of the squad wasn’t glamorous. My induction had been grueling
and gritty. I had learned my new trade from an experienced sex worker and a
trained assassin. There had been times when I thought I wouldn’t make the
grade. Times when I hoped I wouldn’t.
After a particularly
hard day, Jake, the squad’s Head of Security, had taken me to one side.
“You look like the
princess who has escaped from a fairytale, but no matter what I throw at
you—kickboxing, pistol shooting, assault course—you come out on top. What is it
with you? Do you need the money?” The squad paid well and the Signora looked
after her girls.
“No. I have an old score
to settle.” I had smiled. “But when I’ve done that, the money is going to
help.”
At the end of my
training, Jake had handed me a graduation present. It was a T-shirt with a
picture of a cute kitten holding a blood-stained machete between its paws. The
words Killer Pussy were embroidered underneath. “Only Seduction
Squad members can understand what those words really mean.” He had unzipped his
jacket to show me he was wearing the same design. “And me, because I live with
one.” Although they were totally professional when they were together, I had
discovered from some of the other girls that Jake and the Signora were an item.
I had brought the
T-shirt with me on this cruise, even though I figured I wouldn’t get a chance
to wear it. It was a reminder of what I had been through to get here.
There was still plenty
of time before I needed to dress in the clothes that would take me back in
time. I sank lower in the water, sliding my hand between my legs. Closing my
eyes, I pictured Theo’s face. His looks had a devilish edge, like a fallen
angel or a hell-raising rock star. With pale skin and thick black hair that
always managed to look tousled…as if he—or maybe someone else—had been dragging
impatient fingers through it. His features were carved from granite with a
determined, stubbled chin and cheekbones so chiseled they should be illegal.
But it was his eyes. The memory of those onyx depths, so dark it was impossible
to distinguish between the pupil and iris. If the eyes were the window to the
soul, the bleak, beautiful intensity of Theo’s gaze held its own warning.
About the Author
Amanda Stewart writes erotic romance for Carina Press. “Just
erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a
chicken.” (Terry Pratchett)
She lives in England
and loves to read and travel, trying to combine to two as often as she can.
Amanda is married to a lovely man, is mum to two grown up children, and has
recently discovered the joy of being a grandmother.
Amanda Stewart also writes paranormal romance and romantic
suspense as Jane Godman.
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GIVEAWAY!
Amanda Stewart is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card & ePub Copy of SEDUCTION SQUAD: TAINTED!
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- By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
- One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive both $25 Amazon Gift Card & ePub copy of SEDUCTION SQUAD: TAINTED
- This giveaway ends midnight July 7.
- Winner will be contacted via email on July 8.
- Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!
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