All In Read online

  "The rules of the game are changing...Hold on for a sexy and thrilling ride through the streets of London as Raine Miller does it again with All In." ~TotallyBooked Blog

  “The Blackstone Affair—Raw. Sensual. Exposed. Surrender to Raine Miller as she draws you ALL IN.” ~Flirty and Dirty Book Blog

  “All In is a Must Read! Ethan and Brynne just got hotter!” ~Sugar and Spice Book Reviews

  “You may as well read this one commando because Ethan’s point of view will blow your panties off!” ~Scandalicious Book Reviews

  “All In is a full-course, emotionally charged, gripping read that had me hooked.” ~Book Savvy Babe

  “Miller’s voice is compelling as she tells the tale of these two unlikely lovers. I am All In for this series.” ~The Indulgent Bloggers

  “A deeply sensual romance with a suspenseful storyline that left me breathless with nearly each page. All In is a fabulous read!” ~My Secret Romance

  All In

  The Blackstone Affair Part 2

  By Raine Miller

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright 2012 Raine Miller Romance

  RMR

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Power Bar; Land Rover; Range Rover; London Underground; University of London; London 2012 Olympic Games; Jimi Hendrix; Google; Wikipedia; iPod; Dunhill; Van Gogh Vodka; Djarum Black; Dos Equis; Crazy Town - Butterfly; Nine Inch Nails - Closer; National Portrait Gallery, London; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Victoria Embankment Gardens, London; Los Angeles Times; Letter’s of John Keats to Fanny Brawne; Spotify; Joseph Arthur - Honey and the Moon; Michael Jackson – Thriller; Microsoft PowerPoint; The Lion King; Pinky and the Brain; Punk’d; Paranormal Activity 4

  For you, Brynne. You made this possible.

  Don’t know why I’m still afraid

  If you weren’t real I would make you up,

  now

  I wish that I could follow through

  I know that your love is true and deep

  as the sea,

  but right now

  everything you want is wrong,

  and right now

  all your dreams are waking up,

  and right now

  I wish I could follow you,

  to the shores

  of freedom,

  where no one lives

  -Honey and the Moon, Joseph Arthur

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  In the words of Simba…

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  This little story called The Blackstone Affair has taken on quite a life of its own over the months. It’s grown and grown into something I never dreamed it would become when I sat down one summer evening, right before the Olympics were starting in London, and began writing about an American nude model and the Englishman who bought her portrait. That little story has without a doubt, changed my life, and the course of what I’ll be doing with my days full-time from here on out. I’m a writer now. I can say that and know it’s really true.

  I know whom I have to thank for it too.

  To all of the fans of The Blackstone Affair who’ve bought the book and pimped it like mad on their blogs and in their book clubs, to their co-workers, friends, sisters, mothers, grandmothers and even a few husbands, I am eternally grateful. It’s only because of you guys that this story took off and flew. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

  To all the bloggers who took the Advance Reading Copy and read it early, and gave their feedback, I LOVE YOU. You are the reason I can stay home and be a full-time writer.

  In writing this second part of the series, I faced some new challenges. All In is Ethan’s story. It is the narrative of a British man the whole way through and while I knew it was how I wanted to write the book, I didn’t completely have a grasp of what it meant to do that until I was into it. Well guess what? I learned fast! I am, after all, an American woman. *snicker* So, to Gitte and Jenny at TotallyBooked, I have one ginormous thank you to you two girls, for your guidance and knowledge of the Queen’s English, and also for the not-so-proper British slang that I used much more of in this story. *wink* I never would have managed it without your help!

  So now it’s onward with the series, and final installment, Eyes Wide Open, which I hope to release around the end of 2012. There’s much more to come for Ethan and Brynne and you can check in at Raine Miller Romance to get updates on the progression of Part 3 of The Blackstone Affair.

  You have a nice little treat awaiting you at the end of this book and I want you to be sure to read it. You won’t be sorry. It’s a small piece of fan-fiction written by my dear friend, Franziska Popp. She has this talent of writing animal voices that entertain the hell out of me and many, many others on Facebook, namely one very special and adorable ferret character that enjoys a huge fan following and should have his own TV show. She does all of this for fun and it’s truly amazing to me because her first language is not English, but rather, her native German. So enjoy a very special telling of Ethan and Brynne’s story through the eyes of Simba the Lionfish. “You’re welcome.” *wink*

  You’ll be happy to hear I’m working on drafting a spinoff series - The Rothvale Legacy, as well. The Rothvale Legacy will take us forward with the story of two special characters introduced in The Blackstone Affair, while keeping tabs on our original characters at the same time so you won’t miss them too much. Who knows where it will eventually lead into the future. Such is the magic of the written word.

  ♥ Raine

  Prologue

  2012 June

  London

  I left Ethan at the elevators begging me not to go. It was the hardest thing I had to do in a long time. But leave him I did. I’d opened my heart up to Ethan and gotten it stomped. I’d heard him when he told me he loved me and I’d heard him when he’d said he was only trying to protect me from my past. I’d heard him loud and clear. But it didn’t change the fact that I needed to get away from him.

  All I can envision is the same terrifying idea over and over again.

  Ethan knows.

  But things are not always what they seem. Impressions are made without full disclosure. Ideas are formed based on emotion and not on factual events. Such was the case with Ethan and me. I found this out later of course, and in time, when I could back away from the events that had shaped me, I was able to see things a bit differently.

  With Ethan everything was fast, intense…combustive. From the beginning, he told me things. He told me that he wanted me. And yes, he even said he loved me. He had no problem telling me about what he wanted with me, or how he felt about me. And I don’t just mean th
e sex. That was a big part of our connection, but it wasn’t everything with Ethan. He can share his feelings easily. It is his way—not necessarily mine.

  I felt like Ethan wanted to consume me at times. He overwhelmed me from the first and was definitely a demanding lover, but one thing was certain, I wanted everything he’d ever given me.

  I found that out once I left him.

  Ethan gave me some peace and security in a way I’d never really felt as an adult, and certainly never before in regards to my sexuality. It’s just how he is and I think I understand him now. He wasn’t demanding and controlling because he wanted to dominate me, he was that way with me because he knew it was what I needed. Ethan was trying to give me something I needed in order to make us work.

  So while those days without him were agonizing, the solitude was critical for me. Our passionate fire had burned white-hot, and we’d both been burned by the heat that sparked and raged so easily when we were together. I know the healing time was necessary for me, but it didn’t make the painful ache hurt any less.

  I kept coming back to the same idea I had when I’d first found out what he was doing.

  Ethan knows what happened to me and there is no way he could possibly love me now.

  1

  My hand throbbed along with my heartbeat. All I could do was breathe at the now sealed doors of the lift that was taking her away from me.

  Think for one moment!

  Chasing after her was not an option so I left the lobby and went into the break room. Elaina was in there getting coffee. She kept her head down and pretended I wasn’t there. Smart woman. I hope those idiots on the floor do the same or they just might need to find new jobs.

  I threw some ice into a plastic bag and shoved my hand inside. Fuck, it stung! There was blood on my knuckles and I’m certain on the wall next to the lift. I walked back out to my office with my hand in the ice. I told Frances to call maintenance to come and fix the bloody ding in the wall.

  Frances nodded without missing a beat and looked at the bag of ice at the end of my arm. “Do you need an x-ray for that?” she asked, her expression like that of a mum. What I envisioned a mother would look like at least. I barely remember mine so I’m probably merely projecting with her.

  “No.” I need my girl back, not some cocksucking x-ray!

  I went through to my office and shut myself in. I pulled out a bottle of Van Gogh from the bar fridge and cracked it. Opening my desk drawer, I fumbled for the pack of Djarum Blacks and the lighter I liked to keep in there. I’d been plowing through the smokes at a record pace since meeting Brynne. I’d have to remember to stock up.

  Now all I needed was a glass for the vodka, or maybe not. The bottle would do me just fine. I took a swig with my busted hand and welcomed the pain.

  Fuck my hand; it’s my heart that’s broken.

  I stared at her picture. The one I took of her at work when she showed me the painting of Lady Percival with the book. I remembered how I’d used my mobile to take the photo and was pleasantly surprised to see how nice it came out. So nice in fact, I downloaded it and ordered a print for my office. Didn’t matter it was only the camera in a cellular phone—Brynne looked beautiful through any lens. Especially the lenses of my eyes. Sometimes it almost hurt to look at her.

  I recalled that morning with her. I could just see her in my mind’s eye—how happy she was when I snapped the photo of her smiling down at that old painting…

  ♥

  I parked in the lot for the Rothvale Gallery and shut off the engine. It was a dreary day, drizzling and chilly, but not inside my car. Having Brynne sitting next to me, dressed for work, looking beautiful, sexy, smiling at me, had me soaring, but knowing what we’d just shared together this morning was the fucking bomb. And I wasn’t talking about the fucking. Remembering the shower and what we’d done there would hold me throughout my day—just barely, but it was knowing that I’d see her again tonight, that we’d be together, that she was mine, and that I could take her to bed and show her all over again. It was the conversation we’d had too. I felt like she’d finally let me in a little. That she cared about me in the same way I cared about her. And it was time to start talking future with us. I wanted so much with her.

  “Did I ever tell you how much I like it when you smile at me, Ethan?”

  “No,” I answered, dropping the smile, “tell me.”

  She shook her head at my tactics and looked out the window at the rain. “I’ve always felt special when you do because I think you don’t smile much in public. I would describe you as reserved. So when you smile at me I’m kind of…swept away.”

  “Look at me.” I waited for her to respond, knowing it would come. This was another thing we had yet to discuss but was crystal clear from the very beginning. Brynne was naturally submissive to me. She accepted what I wanted to give her—the Dom in me had found my muse, and it was just one more reason we were perfect together.

  I sweep you away, huh?

  She lifted her brown/green/grey eyes to me and waited while my cock pounded in my trousers. I could take her right here in the car and still want her minutes later. She was that much of an addiction.

  “Christ you’re beautiful when you do that.”

  “Do what, Ethan?”

  I tucked a strand of her silky hair behind her ear and smiled for her again. “Never mind. You just make me happy is all. I love bringing you to your job after I’ve had you all night.”

  She blushed at me and I wanted to fuck her again.

  No, that’s not right. I wanted to make love to her...slowly. I could just picture her gorgeous body stretched out naked for me to pleasure in every way I could manage it. All mine. For me alone. Brynne made me feel everything—

  “Would you like to come in and see what I’m working on? Do you have time?”

  I brought her hand to my lips and breathed the scent of her skin. “I thought you’d never ask. Lead on, Professor Bennett.”

  She laughed. “Someday maybe. I’ll wear one of those black robes and glasses and do my hair up in a bun. I’ll give lectures on proper conserving techniques, and you can sit in the back and distract me with inappropriate comments and leering.”

  “Ahhh, and will you summon me to your office for chastisement then? Will you detain me, Professor Bennett? I am sure we can negotiate a deal for me working off my disrespectful behavior.” I put my head down toward her lap.

  “You are insane,” she told me, giggling and pushing me back. “Let’s go inside.”

  We ran through the rain together, my umbrella shielding us, her slim shape tucked against me, smelling of flowers and sunshine and making me feel like the luckiest man on the planet.

  She introduced me to the old security guard who was clearly in love with her, and led me back into a great, studio-like room. Wide tables and easels were set up with good lighting and plenty of open space. She brought me up to a large oil painting of a dark haired, solemn woman with startling blue eyes, holding a book.

  “Ethan, please say hello to Lady Percival. Lady Percival, my boyfriend, Ethan Blackstone.” She smiled at the painting like they were best friends.

  I offered a half bow to the painting and said, “My lady.”

  “Isn’t she amazing?” Brynne asked.

  I studied the image pragmatically. “Well, she is an arresting figure to be sure. She looks like she has a story behind her blue eyes.” I peered closer to look at the book she held with the front visible. The words were hard to read but once I realized they were French it was somewhat easier.

  “I’ve been working on the section with the book in particular,” Brynne said. “She suffered some heat damage in a fire decades ago and it’s been a struggle getting the cooked on lacquer off that book. It’s special, I just know it.”

  I looked again and made out the word Chrétien. “It’s in French. That is the name Christian right there.” I pointed.

  Her eyes got big and her voice excited. “It is?”

  “Yes.
And I’m sure this says, Le Conte du Graal. The Story of the Grail?” I looked at Brynne and shrugged. “The woman in the painting is called Lady Percival right? Isn’t Percival the knight who found the Holy Grail in the King Arthur legend?”

  “Good God, Ethan!” She grabbed my arm in excitement. “Of course! Percival… it’s her story. You figured it out! Lady Percival is holding a very rare book indeed. I knew it was something special! One of the first King Arthur stories ever written down; all the way back in the twelfth century. That book is Chrétien de Troyes’, The Story of Perceval and the Grail.” She gazed at the painting, her face glowing with happiness and pure joy, and I reached for my mobile and snapped a picture of her. A magnificent profile shot of Brynne smiling at her Lady Percival.

  “Well, I’m glad I could help you, baby.”

  She leapt at me and kissed me on the lips, her arms wrapped tightly around me. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

  “You did! You helped me so much. I’m going to call the Mallerton Society today and tell them what you discovered. They will be interested I’m sure. There’s his birthday exhibit coming in next month…I wonder if they’ll want to include this…”

  Brynne rambled, excitedly telling me everything I could ever have wanted to know about rare books, paintings of rare books, and the conserving of paintings of rare books. Her face flushed with the thrill of solving a mystery but that smile and kiss was worth its weight in gold to me.

  ♥

  …I opened my eyes and tried to get my bearings. My head felt like I’d been smashed with a board. A half empty bottle of Van Gogh stared at me. Djarum butts were sprinkled atop my desk where my cheek was stuck fast, filling my nose with stale cloves and tobacco. I peeled my face off the desk top and propped my head in my hands, supported on firmly planted elbows.