SELL YOUR SOUL
The last place Vaughn Westbrook expected to find himself was at a charity gala. But the dark path he’s walked since his discharge from the military led him into the upper echelons of society—where he hunts for the man behind a human trafficking ring.
Carissa Hastings lived a sheltered life in the lap of luxury. Forced to participate in a bachelorette auction, her parents expect the man of their choice to win a date with her.
Vaughn’s winning bid on Carissa was a tactical move, but logic is thrown out the window when he meets the innocent beauty.
Vaughn sold his soul long ago. There’s no way he’s going to let Carissa do the same.
Warning: This book has an alpha hero who doesn’t see himself as a hero until he meets the woman who’s meant to be his. If you like insta-love and hot sex, then this story is for you!
Please note: This is the third novella in the Body & Soul series, but it can be read as a standalone. Each book in the series features a different couple.
Approaching and observing an enemy who was always surrounded by other people who were in the limelight—each with their own security detail—required a shit ton of finesse. Utilizing long-distance observation equipment only got me so far with Alexander Bellamy. I needed a valid reason for a closer approach, and I was determined to find it at this damn party. Almost two hours into it, and I still hadn’t managed to get within spitting distance. But from the way his attention suddenly shifted towards the stage when they announced the next socialite up for bidding, I had a feeling I might have found a way to catch his interest.
Switching my focus in the same direction, I quickly understood his fascination. The girl on the stage was hot, no doubt about it. The innocence shining from her eyes and the blush on her cheeks was an intriguing contradiction to the lushness of her lips and the curves outlined by her tight, black lace dress. When the woman at the microphone who was running the auction circled her finger at her and the girl swiveled on her black stilettos, I felt like I’d been punched in the solar plexus. My breath caught in my lungs at the sight of her bare back. All those inches of skin revealed as the dress dipped down to just above the cheeks of her ass—I didn’t want anyone else to enjoy the sight but me.
The sound of my target’s voice ringing out with the highest bid of the night filled me with horror as I pictured the beauty on the stage ending up dead like the girl in the alley. There was no way in hell I was going to let him get his hands on her and destroy the innocence shining from her eyes. I’d kill him before that happened—but I’d much prefer that waited until I confirmed there wasn’t anyone higher up in the trafficking ring than him. Until then, I just had to figure out a way to keep her out of Bellamy’s orbit. Starting with outbidding him for the date with her he was about to win. Lucky for me, wiping scum of the face of the planet paid well.
“A quarter of a million dollars.”
Very well, judging by the crowd’s gasp and the stunned look of surprise on the girl’s face. Strategically, it was either brilliant or the stupidest decision I’d ever made. But it was a go big or go home moment. Bellamy had deep pockets, and I didn’t want to waste time dicking around with outbidding each other. Making a statement, in a big way, was the most efficient route to avoiding all the back and forth. It also achieved two goals—it garnered me a date with the gorgeous girl on stage and ensured I ended up on Bellamy’s radar. If I’d read his interest right, my prey might very well end up coming to me.
I practically felt the death glare he was sending my way, and I couldn’t resist swiveling my head and flashing him a smug grin as the auctioneer counted down.
“Two hundred fifty thousand, going once. Two hundred fifty thousand, going twice. Sold!”
Bellamy’s eyes narrowed, promising retribution from me for stealing away his prize. My smile widened because I was pleased as fuck about my upcoming date—and because I knew it would piss Bellamy off even more. Reluctantly, I tore my gaze away from his and headed towards the stage, but all of my reluctance was swept away the moment I was looking at her again.
This Body and Soul series has really become one of my favorite of Rochelle Paige’s. Smoking Hot ex-military, OTT Alpha heroes, insta-love and sweet and sassy heroines make the permanent and enticing trademark combo of this books, and this one, Sell Your Soul, ticks all this points and then some!
Vaughn was the absolutely perfect broken/tormented hero. After a what it seems like a lifetime in the military, and now on the private security sector, he doesn’t think of himself as a good man, and therefore undeserving of good things, specially a future with a loving woman and children. So when he comes across Carissa, amidst one his missions – which by the way, show how truly selfless and good hearted character – even though he feels she is special to him, he hesitates because he feels he doesn’t deserve someone pure and good like her, but quickly realizes that she is in he middle of the very danger he is trying to take down, and that he has no chance but to give in to this soul deep attraction and claim Carissa as his, and save her from this threat.
“I’ll give you a couple days to think about what you want, but you need to know I’m not looking for a one-time thing with you, Carissa. If you give yourself to me, then you’re mine, and I’m not letting you go.”
“Three days,” I breathed against her throat. “It’s too long for me to go without tasting your lips. Without hearing your voice. Feeling your body underneath mine. It only took me one night, and I’m completely addicted to you.”
“When you left here three nights ago, I told you I was giving you time to decide what you want because once you gave yourself to me, you’d be mine. But I was wrong—you’re already mine. You’ve been mine all along.”
Carissa has been sheltered from the real world and neglected by her parents her whole life, so when they finally show a bit of interest in her, she thinks this may be the start of a new beginning. But sadly, she quickly realizes that there must be a grand plan behind her parents reason to push her into the spotlight in bachelorette auction. But what her parents didn’t expect was that the winning bid would belong to the man that would come to mean everything to their daughter. Her true hero!
“Vaughn looks at you the exact same way as Brecken looks at Hadley.”
I finally got out of my seat and paced the floor. “He does?”
“Like you hung the moon and stars in the sky.”
I LOVED these two as a couple. Their perfect balance of sweet and sexy, hard and soft, caring and loving really conquered my heart, and Vaughn couldn’t have been more perfect in my eyes, because I adore a good broken hero, even though deep down he wasn’t that broken, and the little cracks in his soul were easily healed by Carissa’s love. And in return, he gave her a new and love filled life that she could only ever dream of before. A true fairy tale come true. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
“You’re mine, and I love you,” he whispered against my lips, making me melt. “Just like I’ll love any children you give me.”
“I love you, too,” I sighed.
“I know, beautiful. That’s why everything’s going to be okay. Because we have each other.”“Thank you,” I whispered against her lips.
“For what?”
“For loving me with all your heart, body and soul.”
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
**Also available on Kindle Unlimited**
99 CENTS
**Also available on Kindle Unlimited**
99 CENTS
Rochelle Paige is an Amazon bestselling author. She absolutely adores reading. Her friends growing up used to tease her when she trailed after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. She loves stories with alpha males, sassy heroines, hot sex and happily ever afters. She is a bit of a genre hopper in both her reading and her writing. So far she’s written books in several romance sub-genres including new adult, contemporary, paranormal and romantic suspense.
