The Billionaire's Paradigm Series by Cerys du Lys

His forbidden desires confirmed, Elise realizes Lucent Storme is... not dangerous, but... yet she finds herself beguiled by him nonetheless, allured by his sordid sophistication... (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novelette) Hiding, shamed by her abrupt streak of wanton whimsy, Elise knows she can't face Lucent again. Except how will she accomplish that? They're stuck in a library, snow-confined... moreHis forbidden desires confirmed, Elise realizes Lucent Storme is... not dangerous, but... yet she finds herself beguiled by him nonetheless, allured by his sordid sophistication... (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novelette) Hiding, shamed by her abrupt streak of wanton whimsy, Elise knows she can't face Lucent again. Except how will she accomplish that? They're stuck in a library, snow-confined. This fantasy of hers, isolation with an enthralling business magnate, isn't what she anticipated. Lucent finds her. Of course he does; they're trapped, alone. And he's... worried? He apologizes. Profusely. Is this really Lucent Storme, dominant Director of Public Relations for Landseer Enterprises; singular desires, dark needs? He's so -confusing- ! Despite her apprehension, she's thrilled by his presence and concern. When he offers her a means to understand him better, she accepts impulsively. Can she entertain his proposal, temporarily submit to his dominant nature? She's already agreed, so she can't back down now... right? He wants her: to control her, enlighten her. For love, lust, or neither? Enticed, Elise is afraid she's unintentionally falling for him and His Absolute Attraction. (This captivating contemporary BDSM erotic romance novelette of domination and submission is ~18,300 words in length) The Billionaire's Paradigm series currently also contains His Absolute Obsession (#1), His Absolute Compulsion (#3), and His Absolute Temptation (#4), all of which are now available in the Kindle Store! *EXCERPT* He gave me a smug, disarming smile; one that made me want to kiss the self-satisfied look off his face. I didn't, though. I couldn't do that. Could I? I thought about it and... what the hell was I thinking about that for? No! "Why were you worried?" I asked. He looked at me as if I were daft. "Excuse me?" "I mean..."--and this was a terrible idea, but I said it anyways--"I thought you liked control and domination and those BDSM things." "Oh," he said. Then, "Oh." And he laughed at me. I frowned at him. "What's so funny?" "Do you want to know?" he asked, grinning. "Will you listen, or are you going to keep preconceived notions of this in your head and refuse it?" "I listen!" I said, indignant. "Do you?" "Yes," I muttered. "How well?" "Do you want to dominate me?" I asked, teasing him. "Is that what this is about? Are you training me as your next... whatever you call it. What do you call it?" "Submissive," he said. "I would be the Dominant and hypothetically you'd be the submissive." "Hypothetically?" "Yes, because I'm not attempting to train you, Miss Tanner. I just want to inform you." "And what if I want to be trained?" I asked, like some petulant child who's been told she can't have more candy. "What then?" He breathed in deep, sucking air between his teeth. "You," he said, "are torturous." "I thought that was your job?" I asked, smirking. less

When the power goes out and Lucent's dominant personality kicks into overdrive, Elise realizes this might be her only chance to challenge his preconceptions of her and intensify their intimate connection. (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella) After secretly filling out Lucent Storme's Master/slave contract of consensual ownership, Elise resolves to give it to him. She's thought about it overnight and they've had a good connection. It makes sense... moreWhen the power goes out and Lucent's dominant personality kicks into overdrive, Elise realizes this might be her only chance to challenge his preconceptions of her and intensify their intimate connection. (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella) After secretly filling out Lucent Storme's Master/slave contract of consensual ownership, Elise resolves to give it to him. She's thought about it overnight and they've had a good connection. It makes sense. It's probably a terrible idea. With Lucent irrationally irritated about the contract, refusing to accept her acceptance, perhaps they should go their separate ways. Except they're trapped in the library. And now the power's out. He's mad. He's not mad. He's mad and not mad and Elise can't keep up. Is this it? She knows she's setting herself up for disappointment by longing for a man who's domineering, controlling, and confounding. He's kind-hearted and thoughtful beneath it all, though. While they strive to understand one another and struggle to keep warm, can she find a way to rekindle the commanding, passionate fire within Lucent? Whatever it takes, she's adamant about discovering the mercurial crux of His Absolute Compulsion. (This alluring contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella of domination and submission is ~21,900 words in length) The Billionaire's Paradigm series currently also contains His Absolute Obsession (#1), His Absolute Attraction (#2), and His Absolute Temptation (#4), all of which are now available in the Kindle Store! *EXCERPT* He moved away from me sharply, leaving me breathless and giddy. "Miss Tanner, I know what you're doing." I smiled sweetly at him, feigning innocence. "What do you mean?" He sucked my lower lip into his mouth, biting gently on it, lascivious. Letting loose my lip, practically snarling at me, he pressed his nose hard against mine. "Do you want to know why spanking was on that list?" he asked with a growl. I nodded fast. "Yes. Please." He smirked. "While I would expect you to do as I say all of the time, there does come the occasion when we might find ourselves in a playful mood, Miss Tanner. Commands are absolute and punishments are necessary, but when it comes to play time, things become a bit more shaded. Don't you agree?" I nodded. I nodded fast. I couldn't nod fast enough. Yes, yes, I agreed. "Lucent," I said quickly, a thought forming in my mind. "For that contract, would you ever tell me to do something you knew I'd hate?" "You aren't signing the contract," he said firmly. "This isn't up for discussion." "I know," I said. Leaning forward, I lay my head on his shoulder, nuzzling against his neck. "I know that. I just wanted to know." "Miss Tanner." He sighed. "You do realize that curiosity killed the cat." "Please?" I pleaded. "Tell me?" "I certainly don't wish to kill you, but I'm increasingly becoming of a mind to spank you," he mused, ignoring my question. "Lucent..." less

Basking in the afterglow of Lucent's intense affection leaves Elise's mind reeling. Is this the beginning of something more, or once the snow stops is he lost to her forever? (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella) Elise is living a fantasy. This entire weekend has been surreal. Unfortunately dreams and fantasies inevitably end. With the winter blizzard nearing completion, she knows the real world holds a bitter reawakening for her soon enough... moreBasking in the afterglow of Lucent's intense affection leaves Elise's mind reeling. Is this the beginning of something more, or once the snow stops is he lost to her forever? (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella) Elise is living a fantasy. This entire weekend has been surreal. Unfortunately dreams and fantasies inevitably end. With the winter blizzard nearing completion, she knows the real world holds a bitter reawakening for her soon enough. Why, though? Lucent Storme remains an enigma despite everything they've experienced. Elise is fascinated by him, allured by his tender care clashing against his decadent authority. He likes her, too--he must--except he hides behind his dominance, using it as an emotional mask. Is he afraid he'll hurt or upset her, or is there more to his aloof capriciousness? It hurts, but Elise knows Lucent will leave once they escape from the library. Her only hope is that she can convince him to return. After succumbing to His Absolute Temptation, she's determined to beguile him into succumbing to her, too. (This enticing contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella of domination and submission is ~21,100 words in length) The Billionaire's Paradigm series currently also contains His Absolute Obsession (#1), His Absolute Attraction (#2), and His Absolute Compulsion (#3), all of which are now available in the Kindle Store! *EXCERPT* He grinned. "If I spank you because you ask me to, it's hardly me controlling you, now is it? You're the one who wants it. The spanking should be a punishment and about what I want." His voice was lower now, more seductive. He looked at me with dark, aggressive eyes. I liked Lucent's eyes. Truth be told, I liked everything about Lucent so far. Or, almost everything. I needed to remind myself that I still didn't know everything about him, and this was all so sudden and fast, but I did want to know. I hoped to know in the future. "I'll apologize if I hurt you," he said. "I accept that concession and agree to it wholeheartedly, but--" Pushing me onto my back, he rolled atop me, pressing me against the ground with the entirety of his body. "I'll spank you whenever I like, Miss Tanner. What do you think of that?" I gulped. Well, what did I think? I thought he could do it right now if he liked, but it seemed more than a little difficult if we stayed in this position. That sounded like a bad thing to say, though. Topping from the bottom, right? Lucent didn't sound angry about it, but if I wanted to let him control me, I needed to let him do it, too. Instead, I nodded fast. "Perhaps I'll spank you now," he said with a growl. I nodded faster. "I won't, though. You'd like that too much and I have no reason to do it at the moment." I stopped nodding. "Though, hm." His hand slid down my side to my skirt, to the hem, and... "Perhaps..." less

After Lucent's wicked revelation, he expects Elise to accept there can never be anything further between them. Apparently he must not know her as well as he thinks he does. (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novel) Elise knows she and Lucent can't stay in the library forever. They need to go home. It doesn't hurt to live and hope and dream, though... moreAfter Lucent's wicked revelation, he expects Elise to accept there can never be anything further between them. Apparently he must not know her as well as he thinks he does. (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novel) Elise knows she and Lucent can't stay in the library forever. They need to go home. It doesn't hurt to live and hope and dream, though. Leaving the library was difficult enough, so why did Lucent need to make it harder? He left her a voicemail message, and she expected something nice. Instead, he overwhelms her with an admission of guilt and confessions of obsessive, immoral pursuits. Pursuit, he says, of her. She's shocked and scared, but what hurts the most is his finality: He will never see her again. Regardless of what he says, she refuses to believe he's a bad person. Controlling, yes, with singular demands and an impassioned focus, but he's kind and cautious and capable of so much emotion. She has nothing and he wants everything. If she offers him submission, agrees to His Absolute Domination, will he accept her feelings or will his pride deny them? (This passionate contemporary BDSM erotic romance novel of domination and submission is ~35,200 words in length) *EXCERPT* Silence. I reached into my purse for my keys and they dangled and jangled in my hand. Unlocking my car door, I opened it wide and stared inside. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Tanner," Lucent said. "Everything seems in order. I'll be leaving now. I appreciate you housing me in your library during the blizzard. Thank you." He nodded, bowing slightly, and turned to walk away. "Lucent," I said. He turned back, tilting his head to the side. "Yes?" "Will you kiss me goodbye?" He frowned and muttered. "Miss Tanner..." I wasn't about to deal with him like this. I didn't know why he felt the need to be the way he was right now, but I disliked it. To get my point across, I swiftly closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him, holding him close. Pushing myself up on my tiptoes, I touched my nose to the end of his chin. If I had heels on, I could've kissed him fine on my own, but in my boots I couldn't quite reach. Lucent watched me, looking at me with deep, observant eyes. What did he see in me, I wondered? What was he seeing right now? An obsessive, strange woman who wanted him to kiss her in the middle of the day in a snowed-in parking lot, probably. I was that, and I didn't even care. He embraced me, squeezing me close, then lowered his head to kiss me. I expected something soft, more formal, and chaste, but Lucent exceeded my expectations. He pressed his lips against mine, firm and demanding. Desirous, needy, I kissed him back, hard. I closed my eyes and held him tight and hoped he never let me go. He did, though. He did release me, but not before I felt all of him. His emotions and feelings, a sorrow and longing, yearning, passion, maybe a little obsession of his own. Attraction and compelling temptation, all of it. He did like me. A person couldn't kiss like that if they didn't like the other person, and so I just knew Lucent must like me, but then... why? Why were we leaving each other? The message, I reminded myself. My phone. I still needed to listen to it once I got home. "Goodbye, Miss Tanner," he said. His eyes gleamed, quietly sad. I smiled at him and squeezed his hands in mine. less

Will Elise and Lucent be able to find their happy ending, or will innocent mistakes and dark regrets from the past come back to haunt them? (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella) After a night of mistakes and passion, Elise finds herself waking up in bed with Lucent. The thought intoxicates her. They still haven't declared what they are to one another, but it doesn't seem to matter... moreWill Elise and Lucent be able to find their happy ending, or will innocent mistakes and dark regrets from the past come back to haunt them? (A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella) After a night of mistakes and passion, Elise finds herself waking up in bed with Lucent. The thought intoxicates her. They still haven't declared what they are to one another, but it doesn't seem to matter. She's never felt so at ease and comfortable with anyone before, but somehow Lucent is different. Conceding to Elise's stubborn and curious nature, Lucent accepts her, amused and intrigued. Apparently, while he thought he knew a lot about her, there's so much more left to learn, too. She's nothing like the woman he thought he needed, what with his lists and contracts, but somehow none of that matters anymore. Lucent's desires and memories still torment him, though. Elise wants to accept him, but can he accept himself, too? Sometimes they're so close, but other times he drifts away for reasons she can't understand. While they seek to further close the gap and solidify their relationship, something darker than either of them could imagine lurks just around the corner. Captivated by Lucent's charm, caught up in His Absolute Seduction, will Elise realize the danger they're both in before it's too late? (This seductive contemporary BDSM erotic romance novella of domination and submission is ~26,100 words in length) *EXCERPT* "I think so," I said. "This is kind of like asking me on a date, isn't it?" The light turned green and he drove onwards again, laughing softly as his foot touched the gas pedal. "Somewhat, I suppose." "I just... I don't know if I can do everything you want me to, Lucent. I don't know if I can listen to everything you say. What if I don't want to do something? I don't know how all of this works and it's honestly kind of scary to me. I... I like what we've done, but I don't want to do too much." "I know and I realize this," he said. "This is why I'd like to arrange for some slight modifications. We can discuss those more indepth when the time arises, but for now I'd like you to understand that I very much enjoy how we're associating right now." "Associating?" I asked, sticking my tongue out at him. "Can you use a better word than that?" "I enjoy our intimacy," he said. "I like us together." I found these words quite a bit more attractive than his previous ones. My ears perked up and I glanced over at him, watching him as he watched the road. "My intended point, when I started discussing this, is that with this proposed relationship, with you as my submissive slave, there's a certain amount of understanding you need to accept. Mainly, while I do require a certain amount of obedience, I am also required to do things, too. Such as taking care to ascertain your well-being at all times. You may think of today as a trial period, in a way. I've arranged this internship for you, and I've given you a proper breakfast, and also opened the door of my car for you." "No," I said all of a sudden. I don't know why, but the word slipped out and I clasped my hands over my mouth soon after I said it. Lucent furrowed his brow and glanced sidelong at me. "Hm?" less

After temporarily thwarting Cole's plan, Elise is given one last night before being forced to make a choice: risking her friend's life or submitting to Cole and losing Lucent forever.(A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novel)The aftermath of her confrontation with Cole leaves Elise reeling. She never thought people like that really existed, someone with no purpose but to hate and inflict pain.And there's no way she can tell Lucent about Cole's blackmail and kidnapping... moreAfter temporarily thwarting Cole's plan, Elise is given one last night before being forced to make a choice: risking her friend's life or submitting to Cole and losing Lucent forever.(A Cerys du Lys contemporary BDSM erotic romance novel)The aftermath of her confrontation with Cole leaves Elise reeling. She never thought people like that really existed, someone with no purpose but to hate and inflict pain.And there's no way she can tell Lucent about Cole's blackmail and kidnapping. She can't risk her roommate's life like that. Hiding her fear and acting like nothing is wrong can only last for so long, though. She has one final night of happiness with Lucent, and then Cole's ordered her to break things off in the most ugly and heart-wrenching way possible.Or Else.Anger and fear, love and compassion, everything; Elise's mind is a mess and her life is becoming a nightmare. Lucent's watched her from afar, kept her safe, protected her when she didn't even know she needed protection. The thought of risking a life or losing that kind of love leaves her feeling hollow. Will His Absolute Intensity, Lucent's devoted obsession, be exactly what she needs or will it be the last happiness she knows before paradise becomes dystopia?(This intense contemporary BDSM erotic romance novel of domination and submission is ~32,400 words in length)*EXCERPT*Lucent and I were different people with different minds and at entirely different points in our lives, but that was perfect. It let us do things for each other that were never possible otherwise. It let us...I choked at the thought of it and stumbled from the elevator car, rushing into the lobby. My heels clicked and clacked on the tiled floor and I shuffled towards the outer doors, intending to escape into the open winter air. It didn't matter if Lucent came for me or not, and it didn't matter if we made a scene. I already felt broken and destroyed; anything further might shatter me into nonexistence.Lucent did come, though. Behind me, the sound of a door being shoved open and slamming against the wall made me look over my shoulder. Red-faced and breathing heavily, Lucent stood in the doorway and surveyed his surroundings. His eyes immediately found mine and he watched me. We both stood there silently for a moment before he strode in my direction. I turned away from him and ran to the exit, to the outdoors, and to some screwed up, insubstantial form of freedom.Lucent put his hand on my shoulder before I managed to leave the building. He stopped me, holding me tight, but he didn't hurt me. Careful, barely calm, holding me, controlling me. I turned around slowly, tears in my eyes, and looked at him."Please," he said, his voice choked, eyes red but refusing to cry like I was. "Elise, I don't want you to go.""I need to go, Lucent," I said."Why?" less