Mark your calendars! Hero by Julia Sykes is set to release June 20, and we have the cover reveal here! Take a look at the synopsis then add this to your Goodreads TBR!
Hero is the thirteenth book in the Impossible series by Julia Sykes. This cover is really, really pretty!!
Synopsis
A man with a broken heart…
The agony of losing the woman I love to another Dominant has left me dead inside. Over the last two years, sex has become my drug of choice to cope with the loss. I know I’m too broken to ever love again, but that won’t stop me from trying to fuck my pain away.
A woman with a painful past…
I’m not interested in intimacy, but I am interested in sex. As a BDSM romance novelist, I need to explore the world of kink for my books. The power exchange is meaningless; nothing more than research. Until I meet him. The powerful Dom won’t relent until he breaks down all my walls, including the ones that protect my ravaged heart.
Bound together by lust and danger…
Chloe Martin is a BDSM romance author by night and an investigative journalist by day. When the latter brings her to the New York unit of the FBI to research the Latin Kings, she never expects her two careers to collide. The agent she’s shadowing—Dexter Scott—is also a Dominant, and he’s interested in helping with her research in the field and in the bedroom.
But Chloe’s story on the Latin Kings puts her in the line of fire, and Dex’s protective—and possessive—instincts kick in. Can he let go of his pain and find his happily ever after? Or will the danger that surrounds them steal his second chance at love?
Book 13 in the USA Today Bestselling Impossible Series — Can be read as a standalone.
Don’t forget to add to your Goodreads TBR!
Excerpt
I swallowed hard when he turned back to me. He prowled, closing the distance between us at a pace that was achingly slow, yet he also seemed to reach me too fast. I wasn’t prepared for his renewed closeness. Power emanated from him, slapping up against me like a palpable force. I’d been around Doms before, but none had affected me so strongly.
I widened my stance, planting my feet as though to brace myself against the weight of his aura. His smirk returned. I fixed him with my most defiant stare. He met it steadily, his amusement evident in the arrogant curve of his full lips.
I didn’t deign to respond to it verbally. I could engage in a silent battle of wills. I recognized that he was trying to Top me. He wasn’t the first Dom to try it, but I was finding his strange mix of quiet confidence and subtle dominance difficult to resist. He wasn’t a hard-ass snapping orders at me; he kept managing to slip past my defenses.
I gathered up my resolve and maintained our eye contact, boldly meeting his gaze.
“Give me your wrists,” he commanded in that same smooth, deep voice that messed with my head and heated my insides.
I considered defying him, but that would be childish. I’d been the one to dictate the terms of the scene, and refusing him would only prove that he was affecting me more than I’d like to admit.
Wordlessly, I gave him my hands. He didn’t break his intense gaze as he secured the supple black leather cuffs around my wrists, buckling them closed with practiced ease. He was obviously an experienced Dom.
That’s good, I tried to tell myself. It’s good for my research.
It would have been easier to convince myself if I wasn’t so intimidated by the cool confidence with which he lifted my arms over my head and clipped them to the chain that dangled from the ceiling. He was tall enough that he easily secured my hands high above me, stretching my body. The cuffs held firm, pressing into my wrists, eliciting a sudden sense of helplessness.
My sex clenched even as a thrill of trepidation raced through me.
“Take a deep breath. You’re safe with me.”
I inhaled without thinking, complying with his low, soothing order.
“Good girl.”
He cocked his head to the side, considering me.
“How do you feel about being blindfolded?”
I drew in a shuddering breath and did my best to shrug nonchalantly, a gesture that was ruined by my bound arms. “Sure,” my voice came out in a breathy whisper that belied my attempt at cool confidence. “You can blindfold me.”
His lips firmed, and he stepped away from me to return to the wall of kinky toys. He quickly selected a strip of black cloth and came back to me.
He leaned in close and wrapped the soft material around my head. Darkness closed around me when it slipped over my eyes. He knotted it firmly, securing it in place.
“I didn’t ask for your permission,” his voice was a low rumble in my ear. “I asked how it makes you feel. Vulnerable? Aroused?”
The cool leather tongue of the crop touched the side of my neck. Sensation lit up my nerve endings, making my skin dance. I was hyper-aware of his closeness, even though he wasn’t touching me directly. The crop traced a slow line down my neck, across my collarbone, before caressing the upper swell of my breasts. I gasped as my core contracted, lust spiking.
“What…” my voice wavered. “What are you doing?”
“You might have played before, but you don’t know the first thing about real BDSM,” he informed me, his tone roughening with his own desire. “I’m dominating you, princess. And you will learn the meaning of submission by the time I’m finished with you.”
About the Author
Julia Sykes is the USA Today bestselling author of the Impossible Series. She has always kept dark stories tucked away in her mind, so she was thrilled when she discovered that other people actually want to read them. Her books blend romance, suspense, and BDSM.
After spending four years living in England, Julia returned to her Southern homeland. She has recently settled down in South Carolina and spends her time petting her cat-children, reading, and binge watching TV with her husband when not writing. You can usually find Julia in Starbucks with a venti iced latte clutched in her hand.
Julia loves connecting with readers! Please feel free to contact her on Facebook, through Twitter, or email her directly at juliasykes193@gmail.com. You can find out more about Julia’s current and future projects at julia-sykes.com.
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Hero is out today, and we have a new excerpt to share as well as teasers!
“Are you okay?” I asked. “You’re… I don’t know. Different.”
Dex ran a hand over his white-blond hair and looked down at the tablecloth. “I don’t usually do this sort of thing.”
“What sort of thing?”
He shrugged, still not looking at me. “Dinner.”
“You don’t go out to dinner,” I said blankly. I didn’t understand his strange demeanor. Dex had always been confident, both in his suit and in his leathers. I took a moment to study his appearance. He was as massive as ever, but his too-small maroon t-shirt had a hole in the sleeve, and his jeans were about an inch too short above his aged sneakers.
Okay, so he wasn’t the most fashion-savvy guy I’d ever seen.
But it was more than that. Where he had prowled through Decadence, his powerful body in display, he now seemed to keep his shoulders slightly hunched, as though to hide his size.
This was a whole new side to him I never would have expected. Suddenly, I was more eager to interview him than ever. I wanted to understand him better.
For my character research. That was why I was so intrigued.
“I don’t really go out at all,” Dex said abruptly.
“You go to Decadence,” I pointed out.
“Yeah.” He didn’t elaborate.
“But what else do you do for fun?”
“I told you. I like to read.”
“But you must do other stuff. What are your hobbies?”
“I play games a lot.”
Was he blushing?
“What kind of games?”
“You know. Online games.”
“Like poker?”
“Like World of Warcraft.”
“Oh my god, you’re a sexy nerd!” I exclaimed, finally understanding.
He glared at me, but his cheeks had gone from pink to red.
I reached out and placed my hand over his. “That’s a good thing,” I told him quickly. “Women go crazy for a sexy nerd.”
“What do you mean? What women?”
Well, me, for one. I chose not to admit that.
“My readers,” I said instead. “You’re totally a swoon-worthy romantic Hero.”
He eyed me dubiously. “Swoon-worthy?” He appeared bewildered. It was adorable.
“Definitely,” I declared. “A nerdy, Dominant FBI agent,” I mused, more to myself than to him. “What should his name be?”
His brow furrowed. “My name is Dex.”
I waved him off. “Not you. My new character.”
“You lost me. What are you talking about?”
“Sorry. I get a little scattered sometimes. It’s a writer thing.” I reached into my purse and retrieved my notebook and pen. “I’m basing a character on you,” I explained. “That’s why I wanted to meet up. I want to know more about you.”
To my surprise, he scowled. “I don’t appreciate being mocked.”
“What?” Now I was confused. “I’m not mocking you.”
“You want me to play some bumbling character in your next book? I don’t think so.”
“Who said anything about bumbling? Okay, maybe you’re being a little weird right now, but that’s because you’re uncomfortable for some reason. When you’re not uncomfortable, you’re kind and protective and confident. Excellent sexy Hero material.”
He shook his head. “I think you have me confused with someone else. You should be having dinner with Smith or Jason.”
“I don’t want to have dinner with either of them. Smith is a bit of a nosy asshole, and Jason is too cocky for his own good. He never takes anything seriously. But you’re sweet and caring.”
“Says who?”
I let out an exasperated huff. “Says me. Honestly, Dex, how do you not see that? You’re a good man. And a hell of a Dom.” Usually, I’d never feed a man’s ego like this, but he clearly needed to hear it. “How do you see yourself?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t really think about it.”
“Well, you should,” I said firmly. “And I’m going to help you. Tell me about yourself. I want to know everything.”
