Last call for KND free Romance excerpt:

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  And here, for your reading pleasure, is our free romance excerpt:

Chapter One

“Hurry up, Chloe,” Victoria demanded impatiently. “Club Luxe closes their doors in two hours, and traffic is already going to be a bitch.” She tapped her foot as she lifted her phone to check the time:

8:00 PM.

The sounds of a young woman fighting with her dress and releasing exasperated groans filled the apartment. “I’m sorry, Vica, but I can’t just throw on something and instantly look gorgeous like you do,” Chloe said, on the verge of tears. “I’m a total mess.”

Victoria couldn’t help but smile a little as she walked around the corner to assist her friend. Of course, she had absolutely no idea what Chloe was talking about. With cute red curls and buxom, creamy breasts peeking out from a low-cut blue dress, Chloe looked like a man-eater. “Honey, you look amazing,” Victoria said reassuringly. “Don’t stress.”

“Really?” Chloe asked sweetly. “Because I don’t feel it. Look at you!” She pointed to the mirror accusingly.

Victoria did have to admit that she looked great. Her black dress was trimmed with gold, while a daring slit up the side revealed her long and shapely leg. The fabric covered her breasts, but there were tasteful spaces where the material was sheer. Her naturally tanned skin gave her an exotic quality that she took full advantage of. “Yes, but it’s not about how you look compared to me. It’s about how you feel about yourself. If you believe you’re a bombshell, so will the men,” she said confidently. She flashed her friend a smile and gave her a gentle pat on the back.

Chloe seemed like she wanted to say something else, but instead let out a sigh. “You’re right. I still can’t believe I’m letting you take me along,” she said as she put her hands on her hips.

“But it’s exciting, Chloe, and this could be a huge break for my career,” Victoria said with a sly grin on her face. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll find someone that makes you forget all your worries.”

“I doubt it,” Chloe huffed with a shake of her head. “I’ll just get a couple drinks and leave after a few hours or something.”

“You can’t, remember? This isn’t a normal club. Once the doors lock, no one gets in or out until the morning,” Victoria explained. “There’s no escape tonight. We’re going all the way.”

Chloe bit her lip nervously and she gulped down some air before saying, “Right, I forgot about that.” She sighed again and stood up straight. “Alright, let’s just get this over with.”

Victoria smiled and squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “My editor is going to love this exposé,” she said with excitement dripping from every word. “Every investigative journalist in Chicago has been dying to get this story.”

“I still don’t see why your boss thinks writing about a sex club is worth anything,” Chloe mused with a tone of disbelief. “What’s so special about a sex club?”

With a coy smile, Victoria double-checked to make sure her recorder was tucked safely in her purse. “Not just any sex club, Chloe. A sex club for the one percent. Society’s elite. A chance to see just what America’s royalty does with their spare time.”

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. “Probably the same as the rest of us,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

Victoria sighed and gave her friend a teasing look. “Honey, I bet you still have sex with the lights off,” she said with a chuckle.

Chloe’s face turned as red as her hair as she turned away. “I just look better in the dark. It hides all my cellulite.”

“What cellulite?” Victoria asked with a laugh. She reached out to pull her friend into a hug. “Oh, Chloe, I do love you. Never change.”

Chloe hugged back. “Don’t worry. It’ll take more than a night at a sex club for the ‘one percent’ to take away my sainthood. Besides, I’m only coming to watch out for you.”

“Thanks,” Victoria said softly. “It really does mean a lot to me.”

The girls embraced for a moment longer before Chloe pulled away with an adoring smile. “Let’s go get you that story, Miss Chase.”

Chapter Two

“Jesus. Downtown is a bitch,” Victoria complained as she veered across traffic in her blue Mitsubishi Lancer, attempting to snag up the last parallel parking spot. The wheels hugged the ground as she drifted into the spot and Victoria let out an exhilarated whoop.

“Do you have to drive like a crazy person!?” Chloe asked in near hysterics.

Victoria just laughed as she opened up the car door and stepped out. “We made it here in once piece, didn’t we?” she asked as she walked toward the club.

“You’re impossible, Vica,” Chloe retorted in irritation.

“You can yell at me later,” Victoria said as she picked up her pace. “We only have ten minutes to get there.”

Chloe huffed and did her best to sprint in the heels she was wearing. Her feet were already aching and she limped slightly as she tried to avoid getting caught in the cracks between sidewalks. The two of them ran down the street and counted the addresses as they went.

“Wasn’t it 504?” Victoria asked as she continued to rush forward. “502… 506… 508…” She stopped and looked around. “Where the hell is 504?” she asked in annoyance. She could easily see building 502 next to 506, but there was nothing for 504. She glanced across street in confusion.

“Don’t tell me it’s down the alley,” Chloe said with a twinge of fear in her voice.

Victoria looked in front of her to see the eerie looking gap between the two buildings. “It’s worth a shot,” she said with a smile. “Let’s go.”

“Dressed like this?” Chloe exclaimed in horror. “No way! We’re going to get attacked by some creep.”

Victoria turned to her friend and put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I know kickboxing, remember? I’ll wreck anyone that might try something,” she said confidently. “If the place doesn’t exist, I’ll just drop the story. But for right now I need you to be tough and come with me.”

Chloe nodded softly and took a deep breath. “Alright, but you owe me even more now.”

Victoria smiled softly. “We’ll see.”

The girls took their first step into the darkness of the alleyway. The street lights that illuminated the sidewalks at night seemed to have their light swallowed by some invisible black hole. Within just a few feet they were in near pitch black conditions. Victoria could feel anxiety creeping up her spine as they ventured deeper into the alley.

“It has to be around here somewhere,” she said nervously.

“Vica,” Chloe said in apprehension, “let’s just go home.”

Victoria shook her head stubbornly. “No. The tickets cost a small fortune. I’m not going to get another chance like this.” She pulled her iPhone from her purse and quickly jabbed her thumb onto the center button. The screen lit up and illuminated the time:

9:55 PM.

She groaned in frustration and unlocked the phone to turn on the flashlight function. The bright LED light pierced the darkness until it was nearly bright as day in the alley. Her eyes glanced around wildly to find the proper number.

“Where are you…” she muttered to herself.

“Is that it?” Chloe asked nervously as she pointed deeper into the alley.

Victoria’s eyes followed her arm and she shone the light to expose the faded number painted over a large metal door. “Yes! It is!” she shouted excitedly. Her pace quickened even more and she nearly dragged Chloe with her to the door. She pounded on the scary-looking iron door and heard a deep echo. When nothing happened she pulled her phone out again to check the time:

9:59 PM.

“You fuckers better open up. I have a minute left!” she bellowed at the door. She pounded again in frustration and flinched as the clock ticked:

10:00 PM.

“Fuck!” she cried out.

She felt Chloe’s soft hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m really sorry, Vica,” she said soothingly. “I know how much this meant to you. This is my fault for being a baby.”

Victoria turned around and tried to conceal her grave disappointment. “No, it’s okay. It’s just a story. I’ll find another way,” she said with a forced smile. “Come on, we’ll find somewhere else to have some fun tonight and not worry about work.”

Chloe nodded her head in agreement and the girls began to walk away from the metal door with 504 painted above it. As soon as they took a step they heard a loud grating sound that drew their attention. Both of them turned around to gaze at a bright red light protruding from a small window in the door. A man stood behind metal bars with a stiff expression on his face.

“Tonight’s password?” he asked robotically.

Victoria’s heart soared, and she mentally did a happy dance as she gazed upon the man. She knew the password from memory but pulled the ticket from her purse anyway to present it to the man. “Tremble,” she spoke softly. She motioned for Chloe to do the same.

The man took both of their tickets and turned to enter the doorway. “You arrived just in time,” he said in a monotone voice that lacked any hint of emotion.

The girls followed him wordlessly and the metal door clanked loudly as it shut. They walked down a flight of dark, winding stairs that took them far below the surface of the city. Carefully and nervously, they walked through the dusky tunnels, further and further away from the normalcy of Chicago and into the unknown underground. The melodic sound of music could soon be heard reverberating through the hall as they approached an ornately decorated pair of double doors. In bright fuchsia lettering was a single, glowing word: LUXE. There was a man standing below the neon lights, and he reached for the door handle, stopping only briefly to look at the girls.

“Next time,” he said with an edge in his voice, “don’t be late.”

Chapter Three

Soft music played throughout the club. Victoria glanced around and saw that several other people were dressed in a similar way to herself and Chloe. It made her feel comfortable in spite of the alien location. Several men and women looked at the pair of girls with mirth in their eyes, and some even waved. It was obvious that the girls were newcomers.

“Well, they seem nice,” Chloe said nervously.

“Of course they are nice, Chloe,” Victoria said with a chuckle. “They are insanely rich and getting laid all the time. Why wouldn’t they be nice?”

Chloe laughed lightly. “That’s true. Maybe this isn’t so bad,” she said softly.

Victoria nodded and pointed at the classic-looking mahogany bar off to the side. “Let’s get a drink.”

An impressive display of dozens of elegant bottles lined the walls behind the bar. As they approached, they could see that the bartender was an attractive man dressed in a black silk vest over a freshly starched white shirt. His sleeves were rolled up and he was in the middle of performing a series of tricks with the bottles as he prepared several drinks at once. He took notice of the girls as they approached and flashed them a smile as he finished his last order.

“What can I get you, ladies?” he asked in a voice as smooth as the fabric of his shirt.

Chloe blushed at the man and hesitated in placing her order. Victoria glanced at her friend and smiled softly as she noticed the red tint in her face.

“What’s good here?” Victoria asked flirtatiously.

“I make a mean margarita,” he said confidently. “It’s strong, but trust me, you’ll love it.”

“Sounds good. Let’s have two of those,” Victoria decided.

The bartender smiled and reached for a bottle of Patrón tequila. “Coming right up,” he said as he spun the bottle in his hand.

“Are you always so fancy, or is that just to impress customers?” Victoria asked with a sly smirk on her face.

The bartender chuckled. “Little of column A, all of column B,” he responded as he began to mix their drinks.

“I see,” Victoria said as she took her seat. “This is my first time here, so I’m just getting the lay of the land.”

Chloe joined them, sitting on the stool next to Victoria as she eagerly listened to every word the bartender spoke.

“Fresh meat, eh?” he asked mischievously. “I can help you a little there.”

“Please do,” Victoria said in a sultry voice.

The bartender grinned as he dipped her glass into the salt. The little crystals clung to the glass and looked like diamonds sprinkled on the rim. “Well, the festivities, if you know what I mean, don’t start until the King of Kink says they do,” he began to explain as he poured the drinks for the girls. “Right now, this place is as tame as any normal bar.”

Victoria nodded and glanced around curiously, noting that everyone had their clothes on. “When does that happen?”

The bartender shrugged. “Whenever the king wants. He generally waits about an hour or so to let people get settled in and find their partners for the night. He’s a considerate fellow like that,” he said with a chuckle.

“Mm,” Victoria murmured. “I’ve heard it can get pretty insane in here. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen?”

The bartender smiled at her and shook his head. “Oh no,” he said slyly, “I’m not going to spoil all the fun for you.”

“Just a little story?” Victoria asked sweetly.

“Where to begin? Group sex on the dance floor isn’t unheard of,” he said with a wink, “but the real action happens in the private rooms. They contain state-of-the-art toys and fancy furniture built just for fucking. Swings, sex machines, mechanical dildos, and everything you can possibly imagine. It was inspired by the Love Hotels in Japan. It’s a sex freak’s paradise.”

“Oh my,” Chloe said with a light blush, wrapping her hands around the large margarita glass timidly.

“But the rooms have a hefty price tag,” the bartender explained. “Fifty grand for the hour.”

“What?” the girls said in unison. Victoria and Chloe looked at each other in amazement.

“That’s insane,” Victoria breathed. “I feel like we’re mere mortals on Mount Olympus.”

Chloe screwed up her face in anger. “That’s disgusting. I can’t believe people would waste that kind of money on enhancing their sex lives when there are people starving in the world.”

“Actually,” the bartender said defensively, “the owner of the club—the king—donates all the money to orphanages in Asia. It may just mean a good time to these people tonight, but it goes toward saving lives tomorrow.”

“Wow,” Victoria said in wonder as she gazed around the club with a new appreciation for the establishment. “That’s amazing. It does feel like a glamorous charity event at the moment.”

The bartender laughed. “Just give it a few minutes. People will be ripping off their clothes and fucking all over the place before you realize it. Everyone goes crazy with all the sex in the air. You’ll see soon enough.”

Victoria clenched her thighs together uncomfortably, feeling her panties grow a little dampened. She needed to shrug the feeling off: she was here to write about the club, not to get involved in an orgy. “I’d really love to meet this king,” she said, changing topics smoothly. “He must be an incredible guy.”

The bartender smirked. “You’ll see him—but meeting him? That’s unlikely.”

“Why’s that?” Victoria pressed on.

“The king very rarely participates. He just comes out and sits on his throne and watches the rest of us,” he replied.

Victoria raised her drink to her lips, growing more intrigued by the minute.

“What about you?” Chloe asked suddenly. “Do you participate?”

Victoria glanced at her friend and was startled to see that she had completely finished off her first margarita. The bartender had a similar look of surprise on his face before his lips formed a smile.

“Of course I do,” he said as he leaned forward against the bar. His face was inches away from Chloe’s and his dark eyes were smoldering and intense. “Perks of the job

Chloe’s face turned blood red and she averted her gaze slightly. “I see. Well, maybe you can help me start off slow?” she asked shyly.

“I would love to. My name is Dominic,” he said as he leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on Chloe’s lips.

She recoiled and pressed her fingers against her lips in surprise. “I’m—I’m Chloe,” she said with a smile.

Victoria was grinning from ear to ear as she watched the exchange between the two of them. “You two keep each other company. I’m going to have a look around,” she said as she took a long pull from her drink.

Chloe and Dominic nodded slowly as their attention was focused on one another. Victoria turned away, hoping that her friend was in good hands. In an upscale club like this, she couldn’t imagine any real harm coming to her and felt safe going off to investigate the club.

Her dark eyes glanced around the room and she saw what appeared to be classy, well-dressed people conversing. Yet at the same time, she could feel the sexual energy building in the atmosphere. Just how powerful is this ‘king’ to get these people to keep it in their pants? Victoria wondered to herself as she walked. And how powerful must he be to get them to let loose like wild animals?

Young or old, man or woman, it didn’t seem to matter in this place. She could see groupings of all types gathering and touching each other gently with promises of unimaginable bliss. Part of her wanted to find a partner and experience the club first hand, but she needed to keep this professional. The last thing she wanted to do was make herself the story.

Chapter Four

Victoria took a large swig from her second drink that night. The tingling sensation of the alcohol was already beginning to spread throughout her whole body as she strolled through the halls of the extravagant club. Her limbs were beginning to feel warm and relaxed, even while her mind was busy processing what was going on around her. Men and women would come over to strike up conversations with her, and they would casually reach out and touch her back. She couldn’t quite explain why, but there was something comfortable about the way the people in the club responded to her.

Those in the room were casually wading in their sea of lust. They all seemed to have a firm understanding that they needed to wait for the king’s proclamation to begin. Victoria found the anticipation breathtaking; it was like waiting for a rock star to come out on stage. Her reporter’s curiosity was getting the better of her. She was determined to do whatever it took to meet this king and find out exactly what made him tick. She was not sure whether her interest was for business or pleasure. Maybe I can mix them? A little won’t hurt, she thought to herself as she continued to explore the sumptuous underground lair.

She was so lost in her own thoughts and observations that she didn’t even notice when a pair of handsome young men approached her from behind.

“Evening, miss,” one of them said.

Victoria turned around to gaze at the two strangers. She was surprised to see the men were a pair of identical twins with matching golden brown eyes. “Well, hello,” she said with a sultry slur of her words. “You two must be popular around here.”

They both cracked a smile at the same time. “You have no idea,” they said in unison. They moved closer, surrounding her body as one moved to stand behind her and the other looked down into her face.

“You should let us show you why,” the twin behind her said gently into her ear as he placed his hands on her hips.

She glanced behind her appraisingly, but she allowed him the touch. She was both intrigued and overwhelmed by their attentions, and she felt comfort in the fact that she was free to walk away whenever she wished. “I bet we could have a lot of fun,” she mused softly.

“We would love that,” the twin in front of her said with a charming smile.

“Maybe if I get some names and a way to tell you apart,” she bargained with them smoothly. She took the final sip of her margarita and casually handed it to the twin in front of her.

He took it gracefully and said, “I like this one, brother.” He smiled at the man behind her and moved to place her glass on a countertop nearby.

“Yes,” he said slowly, “she does have fire in her eyes.”

A thrill went down her spine as she realized the men were talking as if they had already conquered their prey. She liked a man that knew what he wanted, but having two was more arousing than she could bear. The twin behind her kneaded the flesh of her hip with strong hands and she moaned at the impromptu massage.

“When the king allows, my dear. You will be ours,” he said as he deftly slipped his fingers into the slit that exposed her leg. His arm wrapped around her hips as his fingers trailed against the lace trim of her panties. His hand gently brushed over the fabric guarding her mound.

“I might be too much for you boys to handle,” she remarked as her knees went weak. She felt her pussy quiver with pleasure as heat flooded her stomach. Her breathing picked up and her pulse began to race.

“We look forward to having our limits tested,” the twin who had taken her drink replied as he once again took his spot in front of her.

“No woman or man has ever broken us,” the twin from behind said as he slipped his fingers beneath the fabric and touched her sensitive clit.

Images of being fucked by these men filled her mind and their attentions sent a trickle of moisture sliding down her leg. It was insane how turned on she was. She was surprised at how receptive her body was in this environment, and she tried to shake off the feeling. She couldn’t afford to be distracted right now.

“Perhaps another time, boys,” she said with a smirk. “I’m going to browse my other options. I might have to come find you later.”

The twins smiled at one another confidently and stepped away. “We look forward to it,” they said in unison.

She smiled at the two of them and walked away with as much grace as she could muster. Her hips swayed with every step and she could feel their eyes on her rear as she walked. It gave her a thrill but she refused to look back at them. I am Victoria Chase, the best up-and-coming young reporter in Chicago. I cannot let a pair of rich boys get me this flustered!

She glanced over at the bar to see that Chloe was still talking and laughing with the bartender. Instantly, Victoria felt a sense of ease wash over her. As long as Chloe remained out of too much trouble, Victoria felt that she could continue to do her job.

All the music in the club suddenly stopped, and everyone grew very quiet.

Victoria felt the energy in the air change before the lights dimmed in the main hall. Everyone turned to look as a spotlight revealed a stage she hadn’t noticed was there before; she found her eyes magnetically drawn to the same spot. Her instincts told her that it was now time for the king’s arrival. Her eyes glanced around and she saw the others in the room exchange excited looks. The footsteps of a single man echoed throughout the club as the king made his way to the throne. She stood on her tiptoes to try to look over people, and tried to move around to look between them to get a better view. She could see the man’s broad bare shoulders and the back of his expertly-styled hair. When he finally turned around and sat down in his opulent throne, her jaw dropped open.

She recognized him.

Victoria felt her mouth grow very dry as she stared. The man sat there completely naked, save a golden crown atop his head. His muscles glistened and his strong jawline was set as if he were chiseled from stone. His cock hung between his spread legs casually, flaccid, but Victoria could tell it was a monster when engorged. She couldn’t understand why, but staring up into his eyes took away all sense of reason. Her body ached with need and she couldn’t stop herself from taking several steps closer to him.

“Malcolm Cage,” she said softly to herself in wonder. “You’re this ‘King of Kink’ guy?” A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Thoughts of the twins were now completely forgotten, overpowered by the sheer presence of the man before her. “Now I have to mix business with pleasure.”