Title: STRIPPED – A Ferro Family Novel
Author: H.M. WARD
Publisher: Laree Bailey Press
Released: September 2, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
By New York Times, USA
Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling New Adult
author H.M. Ward.
The V Card. Virgin. Most of us want to punch
that sucker ASAP, and hide the fact until then, but not Cassie Hale. Three
years ago she frickin' covered hers in glitter and laminated the thing, proudly
telling me that she's waiting for the perfect guy.
So when I see her half naked, tangled together, rolling around on the floor
with another stripper, I'm kind of shocked. Okay, that's an understatement. I'm
enthralled. I have to know what cracked her picture perfect world and landed
her here, and I hope it's something horrible-an event that broke her the way
she broke me. Because, that's who Cassie Hale is--the woman who stole my heart
and crushed it in her hand.
Genre: New Adult Romance
Related Works: DAMAGED & THE ARRANGEMENT
JONATHAN
I weave through
the crowd. There are already some strippers posing as wait staff. A woman with
a tray and way too much make-up on her face brushes my side and turns toward
me. “Champagne?” Her cleavage is up to her neck and the thin white shirt she’s
wearing does nothing to hide the black bra underneath. Fuck, she’s hot. I almost
stop and flirt with her—almost—but I keep walking, because I’m not a total
dick. This was supposed to be for Pete. I need to fix this before he gets here.
Sean falls in
step beside me. “Tell me that I didn’t see Scott at the bar?” Sean hates anyone
who wasn’t born with the name Ferro.
“Fuck off, Sean.
He’s my friend.”
“He’s using you.”
Sean’s jaw is locked tight as he scans the crowd. “You’re too naïve.”
“You’re an
asshole.” I’m not defending my friendship with Trystan or with anyone else.
Sean acts like he knows everything, and he might be right most of the time, but
he’s wrong about Trystan. “The guy has his own millions. He doesn’t need mine.”
“He’s unstable.”
“You’re
unstable.” I flick my eyes over to him.
Sean smirks.
“Possibly.”
“I can’t chat
about your mental health right now. I need to find the guy before all these
girls rip their clothes off. Where’s Pete?”
Sean laughs and
points across the room. “He just got here.”
“Fuck.” I take
off through the crowd, cutting through the guys, shoving some aside.
When I push
through the kitchen doors, I see him. “Bruce! My man—change of plans.”
Bruce is a huge
guy and doesn’t look pleased to see me. There are half dressed girls
everywhere, slipping into their tear off waitressing outfits. Damn, this would
have been so cool. Bruce has his thigh-thick arms folded over his chest. He
glares at me. “No refunds.”
“I’m not asking
for one.” I stand in front of the guy and feel like a toothpick, even though
I’m not. Reaching into my pocket, I feel around for a hundred dollar bill. “I
need them to keep their clothes on.”
He gives me a
weird look. “They’re not supposed to be waitresses, Mr. Ferro. They’re
strippers and are expecting the tips that accompany the occupation.”
Okay, I grab a
fist full of bills and slip them into his hand. Bruce takes it and sees how
much I’ve given him. I ask, “Maybe they could be waitresses for a couple of
hours and then head out?”
“Maybe, but this
isn’t going to help the girls you hired for the private room. They’re expecting
tips, and if you cancel them out, they’ll have left the club for nothing. You
have to make good over there.” The guy’s voice is dangerously deep.
“Done. I’ll go
take care of it.” I reach out and shake his hand.
As I turn to
leave he clears his throat. “And if you’d like this kept quiet…”
I reach into my
pocket and slap more cash into his fist. Bastard. The large man grins. “My lips
are sealed, Mr. Ferro. A suggestion?” he asks, and I nod as my gaze cuts across
the room to the clock. “Keep at least one girl in that private room for your
guests. This is a party that people talk about. You don’t want them to think
you’re a pussy. You’ve got a reputation that people know about. They expect a
little something extra at one of your parties.”
“And you know
this because…?”
“Because I’ve got
ears, Mr. Ferro. Every man here is wondering what your big surprise will be
this evening. You need to keep something for them, don’t you?”
I don’t answer
him, because I know he’s right. “Fine, I’ll go speak to them. You keep the
girls out here clothed.”
Bruce laughs and
leans back in his chair. “Done.”
When I get back
to the private room, I push through the doors without really paying attention
until I hear a voice—that voice. It’s like being hit in the face with a wall of
cold water. Whatever thought I had in my head is gone. Wide eyed, I look up and
scan the room. Two women are tangled together on the floor, fighting. Well, no
they’re not fighting, not really. I’m not sure what they’re doing, and they
have no idea I’m watching.
My heart pounds
harder as her voice fills my head and I try to see her face. My body responds
the way it used to—that hollow spot in the center of my chest aches, along with
my cock. I stare in disbelief, watching two strippers wrestling on the floor,
and stand in shock because one of them is Cassie Hale.
PURCHASE HERE:
AMAZON I AMAZON UK I BARNES & NOBLE I KOBO
H.M. Ward is the #1 bestselling New Adult author
in the world, having sold over 2 million books in 2013. This NEW YORK TIMES,
WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, and Amazon #1 bestselling writer's series
include: THE FERRO FAMILY: DAMAGED, THE ARRANGEMENT, and STRIPPED; as well as
SCANDALOUS, TRYSTAN SCOTT, and SECRETS. Ward was recently featured in FORBES,
the WALL STREET JOURNAL, and the WASHINGTON POST.
You can interact with this bestselling author at: www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard. Don't want to miss a release date: Text AWESOMEBOOKS to 22828 and get an email reminder on release dates.
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