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    My Control
    My Control
    My Control
    Ebook77 pages1 hour

    My Control

    By Lisa Renee Jones

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    From New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, an e-short that continues Mark and Crystal’s unexpected love story in the Inside Out series—told from Mark’s dark, controlling perspective.

    I have lost who I used to be, letting guilt and heartache define who I am, letting darkness control me. Only one woman has seen what no one else has seen in me: the man I do not wish to exist. His lack of control led to tragedy, and I cannot allow that to happen again. But even as she offers ease, she challenges me like no woman ever has—and my hunger for her has driven me to the edge of sanity. But no more. She is about to find out that the Master has returned…
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPocket Star
    Release dateSep 8, 2014
    ISBN9781476772400
    My Control
    Author

    Lisa Renee Jones

    An award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, Lisa Renee Jones has published more than forty novels spanning many romance genres: contemporary, romantic suspense, dark paranormal, and erotic fiction. In each book the hero is dark, dangerous, and sexy. You can find Lisa on Twitter @LisaReneeJones, Facebook.com/AuthorLisaReneeJones, and her blog LisaReneeJones.com for regular updates.

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    Reviews for My Control

    4/5

    17 ratings2 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Really worth the read. If you have some great stories like this one, you can publish it on Novel Star, just submit your story to hardy@novelstar.top or joye@novelstar.top
    • 4/5
      I loved seeing more of Mark Compton. The next book in this great series is supposed to be the end, From reading short novella's and full books with maddening cliffhangers I can't wait for the exciting conclusion to this great story.This one did go deeper into Mark an Crystal's strange relationship and I was left craving for more at the end. We're nearly finished thank goodness.

    Book preview

    My Control - Lisa Renee Jones

    Cover Page ImageTitle Page Image

    Dear Readers:

    Though you can read My Control as a stand-alone story, it is a part of Mark Compton’s story that has been slowly coming to light throughout the Inside Out series. The reading order I recommend for the three novellas in Mark’s point of view is as follows:

    * The Master Undone

    * My Hunger, which begins the day after The Master Undone

    * My Control, which leads into a full-length novel in Mark’s point of view, which is titled I Belong to You

    For those of you who have been following the series, I am beyond excited to finally be sharing the secrets beneath Mark’s surface with you. Finally, you will know what I have always known about Mr. Compton.

    I hope you enjoy the journey and thank you for sharing it with me!

    Lisa

    Part One

    Guilt

    San Francisco

    Crystal

    I stare down at the key that was left for me at the hotel’s front desk, reading the note.

    My house is swarming with press. I’m in the room next to yours. We need to review the gallery’s business tonight. I’ll be in meetings all day tomorrow.

    It’s not signed, but I know it’s from Mark. I wonder if he isn’t sure how to sign it. Mark. Mr. Compton. Master. Just the thought that he might have expectations of me as a submissive has me balling the note up and clenching it in my damp palm. But no—he doesn’t.

    He’s caught in a nightmare, eaten alive with guilt over Rebecca and terrified for his mother. He’s not thinking about anything else at the moment, and I’ve just caught him in a few weak moments where I’ve been an escape. And that’s okay. He’s hot. Ridiculously sexy. And so damn arrogant he could win an award. The kind of man you sleep with and move on.

    Only I can’t move on. His family has become my second family.

    I can’t go into his room. I can’t end up naked with him again. It’s starting to affect me, beyond the fiery passion. He’s starting to get under my skin, and that’s dangerous. I am no submissive, and he’s all about power and control—truly a Master in all he does, in all he commands. Underneath that hardness, though, I’ve briefly seen a tender, sensitive man who has a sense of humor and a deep love for his family, his mother in particular.

    So I can’t ignore his note. That would be turning my back on someone who needs me, in order to protect myself, and that’s not who I am. And this isn’t about me, anyway. It’s about the police on the beach searching for poor Rebecca tonight, and it’s about a broken man who doesn’t even know he’s broken. And it’s about his ailing mother, who I love dearly, and who desperately wants him by her side. Despite how much she wants Mark to be a part of the auction house, Riptide, she’ll never forgive herself if Allure gallery falls apart because he’s distracted by her illness. He says he wants me to shut it down and tie up all the loose ends.

    But I need to do more. I need to save it. And not just for her—for him. For the man I’ve caught glimpses of, who has captured a part of me. The one who has let me see the wounds he’s denying, making him unable to heal. He’s alone inside his own personal hell, telling himself he can fight it alone. But he can’t. I know this with certainty.

    Right or wrong, decision made, I leave my room and turn toward his. I’m going to fight with Mark, even though I’ll likely end up hurt and alone. But life is too short for regrets. Another fact that I know too well.

    I reach up—and knock.

    • • •

    Mark

    Sitting on my suite’s couch, I loosen my tie and refill my scotch glass before turning on the television. After flipping through several stations, I stop and turn up the volume at the sight of a newscaster standing on a beach with police cars—and pray like hell that he can tell me something that the expensive attorneys and investigators I’m paying haven’t been able to manage.

    Authorities are staying quiet about what’s being searched for on Muir Beach, but we know it’s the stretch surrounding the family home of a male employee who works at Cup O’ Café, the coffee shop owned by Ava Perez. For those of you just tuning in, Ms. Perez confessed to killing Rebecca Mason, an employee of the gallery next door to the coffee shop, only to later retract that confession. Police are not saying what they are looking for and what outcome they hope for tonight, but a press conference is planned for Monday morning.

    I mute the sound of the same story I’ve heard at least ten times. Downing the scotch, I set my glass down and refill it. Hell, why not? I’m spinning out of control;

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