Lexie Syrah's Blog
May 10, 2020
Cover Reveal!
I'll be sending out ARC's in a few days. If you would like to join my ARC team and get a free copy of Broken in return for a review, follow me on Booksprout to be notified when the ARC is available.
May 2, 2020
Finished the Last Book in A Very Submissive Gift Series!
Also, if anyone is interested, I'm looking for ARC readers for future bundles, novellas, and novels.
December 13, 2015
Editing, Cover Design, and Publishing Consulting Rates
Hello everyone! I’m looking to do some freelance editing, cover design, and publishing consulting while my husband and I deal with finding him a job.
Editing
Proofreading and Grammar: $0.0035/word
This price assumes that the work is at the level of a high school senior’s final draft for an essay. I do not expect amazing work, but I do expect to only have minor corrections. If I have to rewrite every sentence, then I will let the client know before I finish the first page, and I will give them a new price before I start work again.
Line-by-line: $0.04/word
Line editing is the process of tightening up, reducing redundancies, calling attention to breaks in tense, and a general flow. This price is an estimate just like the proofreading and grammar price. In most instances, this will be the case, but in some, the price may increase or decrease based on the speed at which I am able to work. I will do my best in this process to eliminate grammar and spelling mistakes, but I do not promise to catch everything.
Content: $0.04/word
Content editing is helping to show overall story arc and character development issues. This requires a separate run through the story and should be done prior to line editing if it will be utilized at all. For the most part, there is little possibility of this changing as I read at a set speed regardless of content.
If you wish to have me do more than one type of editing, I will give the price/word after I read the first page so that I can give you an adequate discount.
Cover Design
These prices are quoted after you give me your elevator pitch so that I can find relevant covers to compare to. Most will range from $50 to $200 depending on the time that it will take to create a compelling cover. My typical pricing guide is $50/hour, and you will be required to buy the photos from the website that I find them on (they are typically less than $5 each) so that we do not have any legal issues.
Publishing Consulting
There are so many parts to succeeding in the self-publishing arena that I cannot list every aspect of it in a simple description. Some of the most common things:
Editing/creating the title, blurb, and keywords
Helping you to create an ARC list
Helping you to find reputable and cost-effective advertising avenues
Evaluating your marketing strategy and social media presence and giving you guidance
Helping you to find ways to network and create valuable connections
Critiquing and editing previously published content in an effort to draw attention to the new release
I cannot give an estimate here due to my inability to know what needs to be done in order to achieve success. This may be a short “report” style consultation or it could turn into a multi-hour conversation over multiple days depending on what needs to be done and how knowledgeable the client already is (and how much they can budget for it).
I will give a price for consulting work after a conversation with the client. The price will be based on a $30/hour rate. Half will be due before I begin work, and the second half will be due when all work is complete.
If you are interested in any of these options, send me an email at lexiesyrah[at]gmail[dot]com.
November 2, 2015
Book Trailer for Torn (Shattered Lives) (A Dark BDSM Romance Novel)
By Lexie Syrah and Amazing Music
By Mike Meagher.
GET TORN NOW
Get into the storm by Mike From MM3
I have to say a huge thank you to Mike! He found me through A post I made looking for some amazing sounds from another Indie artist. That was of course, willing to have their work featured on Erotica and Erotic Romance.
I was so excited when I got the reply from Mike but nowhere near as excited once I gave his songs a listen. I was blown away by the sounds he produced it took me back to when I first fell in love with music. His songs don’t all have lyrics and they do not need them, you can feel the words within the music. Thank you Mike, for offering up phenomenal sounds!
Check out Mike’s amazing music! Reverbnation
Check out Mike’s Band MM3
Connect with Mike> @MM3BAND @MikeMeagher45 @ISXDJMike and on facebook!
He also hosts a spot on Indecent Exposure ISX Radio: Monday Morning Madness
October 27, 2015
Reviews on Torn: A Dark BDSM Romance Novel (Shattered Lives Book 1)
Torn has had a well; I am just going to say it an incredible reception. I am going to put the various reviews from around the web here for you to read.
From Amazon
5⭐ An emotionally gripping, dark romance that will stay with you.
By J. Foshia on October 21, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This isn’t the first book by Lexie that I have read, and it sure in the heck will not be the last!
Lexie captures your attention and interest in the opening scene, and holds it through until the very end of this book.
We are introduced to our main female character, a 20 year old former college sorority girl named Maggie, who has spent the past few months homeless and living on the streets, scouring dumpsters for scraps of food to hold her over. She has become jaded, and lives in fear, knowing that she has nowhere to turn. That is until she comes in contact with Mr. Sheffield.
Mr Sheffield is an older, wealthy gentleman who shows sympathy, without showing pity, toward Maggie. He offers her not only lunch, but a job…and for Maggie, his offer brings hope that she may finally have a chance to better her life, make something of herself.
Mr. Sheffield has very strict expectations for Maggie, and should she not live up to them she will receive a punishment.
What starts off as an employer/employee relationship soon develops in to something deeper, darker, more emotionally dependent and intense than either character seems ready for. These two love each other so much, but are so fearful of what that means that they hold back from, or lash out at one another as a way of preserving their own heart. In the end though, that fear leaves them both heartbroken, and torn.
Lexie has written this dark romance in such a way that you are experiencing every emotion along with the characters. The joy, fear, loneliness, hope, jealousy, heartbreak – you feel it all. Some of the scenes go in to so much detail that you may even actually feel them physically. The words leap off the screen and play in your mind like a 3-D movie.
When I began this book I was expecting the great writing that I have come to expect, and look forward to from Lexie; she never disappoints with her creativity in each book, but this one completely surpassed everything I have ever read by her to date. Once I began this tale I couldn’t put it down. It is not very often that I read a story that puts me through an emotional ringer like Torn did. It is a story that is more realistic of some love stories, since we know not every story ends with “Happily Ever After”. At the end you are left wondering if they are going to find their way to one another…or if their relationship remain forever Torn.
If it were possible to give this book more than 5⭐ I would. Amazon does not have a ranking high enough for this one.
The journey you are taken on when you read Torn will stay with you for a long time, and you will only be disappointed when you read the last page because you will not want it to end.
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5⭐ “… gut-wrenching, heartbreaking love story, complicated adult relationships and flawed people instead of cardboard cliches”
By Lilah E. Noir on October 27, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Whenever I think of dark erotica the first associations coming to mind are those of blackmail, coercion, ugly, abusive relationships that drive the characters and readers to the point of madness and toxic feelings presented as a love story. In the first volume of her series Shattered Lives Lexie Syrah puts her characters through an emotional whirlwind and just as the title of the series promises it leaves us shattered. However, it also presents a truly gut-wrenching, heartbreaking love story, complicated adult relationships and flawed people instead of cardboard cliches. The darkness mingles with the beauty and light, the despair flirts with hope and the story is carved on a much more solid foundation than the traditional “naive young woman gets introduced to kink” drivel.
Reading Torn was a very similar experience to watching the film Shame a few years ago. It felt deeply personal, it made me feel heated, excited, it caused me to sense every emotion going through the mind of both the hero and heroine, it touched many well covered sore spots and nearly made me cry. It also made me ache for more. I wasn’t ready to leave the world of Shattered Lives at the last page.
Maggie, the young homeless girl, was never prepared for the world that quickly lured her innocence with temptation and pleasure, which lead to her downfall. Mr. Sheffield, the older wealthy benefactor, never expected to find a diamond in the rough when he extended a hand to help her out of the dark hole of despair she was living in.
I loved both these characters, for their faults, imperfections and all the mistakes they made on the road that eventually drove them apart. While Maggie was inexperienced in the dream-like world that Mr. Sheffield leads her into she wasn’t just a blank space Mary Sue meant to “save” the leading man. She had her own history, personality and set of issues. Maggie could see beyond the surface and was pretty reflective, a direct consequence of her life on the streets. But she was overwhelmed by doubts and fears that often dominated her common sense and caused her to act irrationally. Mr. Sheffield was a pretty compelling man as well. He was kind, caring and protective as well as raw and primal in his most basic needs. I could clearly see why everyone he encountered was so drawn to him and how easily he could get what he wanted. I really loved that the author didn’t follow the usual tropes such as “someone broke my heart so I became hardcore Dom who doesn’t love” or “my ex-wife was a frigid, vanilla bitch”. Still, Mr. Sheffield was so used to hiding his true self that it turned into a second nature for him. He couldn’t be fully open even with Maggie, which is quite ironic. I saw him as someone who has been seeking for understanding all his life. And when he finally found it the fear turned out to be stronger.
The erotic scenes in Maggie’s sexual education were exceptional, from the first spanking on. What could easily become the ugly non-con story in which the man with too much power exploits and abuses the girl with no options turned out the start of a journey to self-discovery for both of them. There was no sugar coating of the pain and roughness involved, the sex was as realistic as it gets. All the time that I was going further in the story I felt like I was actually in Maggie’s place. Her emotions were easy to identify with during every step she took.
The sex is getting kinkier as the story progresses, however, don’t fool yourself. The darkness from the title has nothing to do with BDSM, the different sexual practices or the pain shared between Maggie and Mr. Sheffield. It comes entirely from within those lost souls, their own fears that eventually break the communication. By the end of the book, I really felt like they weren’t talking but just covering themselves behind violent outbursts. The intimacy proved to be too much and the fear and escape way too tempting. My heart really ached for both of them and till the last page I wished they’d get over their emotional inhibitions. But sometimes love is not enough.
The writing was stellar and made me experience every aspect of the world Lexie Syrah created – from the dirt and grime on the street to the hypnotic ambiance of the Elysium club. I can’t think of anything that would make the story better. Perhaps it would be good if we could see more of Mr. Sheffield’s point of view through the course of the story. On the other hand, that would have killed the suspense of his true motivations. It was good we could catch a glimpse of his mind that was not put through Maggie’s perspective.
I recommend that small jewel of a book to anyone who is not afraid of looking at the dark recesses of their mind and hearts. It is emotionally wrenching read, but I can promise it would be worth it and you’d be left begging for more of that dark magic. I’d even go as far as to say that some day Torn and its sequels may find its place with the classic erotic literature.
I can’t wait for the second book.
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5⭐ I absolutely loved this book
By Rhonda Fletcher on October 24, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book! Read it in 2days. I dont generally buy series until all the books have been released, but something told me to give it a try. If you like erotica-then you will love this! Its the story of a homeless 20 year old girl who gets help from a man who is much older and what becomes of them. Its a scorcher!!!! Cant wait for book 2!
Comment 1 of 1 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
5⭐ Well-Written and sexy!
By Sean Wells on October 24, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
I found Lexie’s book through www.reddit.com/r/firstfive and thought i’d give it a go! Good erotica! Very hot and remarkably well written. It kept my attention from beginning to end. A refreshing breath of air from a lot of the stuff found on the Amazon shelves.
Comment 1 of 1 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
5⭐ Wow!
By Jeni Amos on October 26, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Just Wow! Everything wrapped into one but without a happy ending. The feeling Lexie invokes us with is of pure and absolute lust. Excellent writing and I cannot wait for the next book!!!
Comment 1 of 1 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
5⭐ Jeni rated it 5 of 5 stars
Wow!
Just Wow! Everything wrapped into one but without a happy ending. The feeling Lexie invokes us with is of pure and absolute lust. Excellent writing and I cannot wait for the next book!!!
5⭐ Josh rated it 5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Erotic or Dark Romance
Recommended to Josh by: Amazon
Shelves: dark-romance
This short book was nothing like I’d expected. I was originally dissuaded from purchasing it due to its cover’s appearance. I’m not a fan of typical alpha male erotic romances, but the review that I read and the description convinced me to get it on KU. I was wowed by it in every possible way, and finished it in a single sitting.
The atmosphere of every scene was clear, as was the description in a Stephen King Gunslinger style. I never questioned the images in my head, and I was never confused. Like the review that I read described, it was as though I was feeling the walls that she leaned against and the cracked concrete on which the homeless MC walks.
The writing is odd for its genre with more attention paid to the underlying emotional tone than the characters’ actions. It’s very apparent that the writer has some ties to fantasy because it is completely contemporary, yet has a very airy and fantastical feel. It was a refreshing style change.
It’s definitely an erotic romance, but after the first third of the book, it seemed as though the sex faded to the background in favor of the emotional turmoil and atmosphere. Before I go more into the way that it does this, I just have to say that the sex was incredibly erotic and a huge turn-on. The author primarily wrote erotic short stories, and her experience flowed seamlessly into the world of romance novels. Note: if you are turned off by deviant sex, this is not the book for you because skipping the sex
Now, back to the way that it turned sex into something more. Everyone has heard of erotica authors talking about how the sex is important to the story and not gratuitous. Well, Lexie Syrah’s sex scenes are graphic, explicit, and almost pornographic, but they build/destroy/recreate the characters and their emotions. Sex is a keystone on which many relationships are built, and for such a dark pair of MC’s, this is even more important. Ms. Syrah has mastered this incorporation.
In the description, it says that this is not a story of “romance and candles” and instead it has “teeth and claws”, and that’s not an exaggeration. At the end of the book, you’ll have to get up and do something fun and lighthearted because it will rip your heart out. She promises that the next volume will come out next month, and I can’t wait because I still can’t shake the feelings that she left in me.
I cannot wait to read anything else that this author writes if it continues to be this perfectly written. (less)
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I would like to thank all of these amazing people for taking the time to review my novel.
Please, everyone, remember that Authors Need reviews in order to get their books seen across various platforms. Even if it just a simple “Wow this was great! I want more.”
Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and all the continued support of my writing.
Here is a new up and coming review site that actually covered one of my Short stories: Pain & Submission
bookclubfor2
They seem to have fair and honest reviews so check them out if you are in need of some extra suggestions!
October 21, 2015
Torn: A Dark BDSM Romance Novel (Shattered Lives Book 1) Kindle Edition
An Excerpt
Thoughts of Mr. Sheffield filled my mind as I let my purified body enjoy the hot water. For a man who could be my father, he was incredibly handsome with a chiseled jawline and such spectacularly strong cheekbones. I didn’t know why, but for just a second, I had the urge to touch my pussy as I thought of him.
Maybe it was his confident and manipulative smile or the way that he’d acted with the manager. Or maybe it was just the fact that I hadn’t felt a man’s touch in so long that I couldn’t remember the way a kiss felt. I let out a giggle at the thought of Mr. Sheffield kissing me. He was just so sweet that I couldn’t imagine how it would ever happen. It was time to get out, though. I was back in the human world, and I couldn’t just sit and fantasize all day now.
I turned off the shower and stepped out to dry off. Running the towel over my smooth skin was like being caressed by a lover. I hadn’t been naked since being homeless for lack of a shower and fear of being assaulted. I rubbed the towel across the mirror to clear the steam so that I could finally look at myself without any filth.
My face had grown thin, my waist was emaciated, and my old C-cup tits had shrunk down to a large B. That was what hunger did to a person, I guess. On a good note, all of my muscles had grown instead of shrinking from all of my movement and walking. All in all, I was still sexy even if my tits had shrunk a bit. At least I wouldn’t have to fix that.
I looked closer at my face, though. I’d looked almost like a child when I’d entered college. I’d been innocent, and it was obvious to anyone looking at me. I’d experienced many things while I’d been a part of the sorority, but none of them had caused me any stress. Though I had lost my virginity, I was still a naïve child in the eyes of the world. I’d been as young and blissful as ever until the day that I’d lost my financial aid and scholarships and had been thrown to the streets.
Now my turquoise eyes seemed just a touch bluer than they had been. I was harder now, more accustomed to the weight of the world being on my shoulders. There was no longer the same innocence in my young eyes, yet my body’s small stature and thin proportions conflicted with them. I’d seen much more of the pain in the world now, and there was no hiding it.
I wrapped the towel around me again and walked into the attached bedroom. On the gold and purple comforter was an outfit. I closed and locked the door to my bedroom and threw the towel on the floor. I held up the expensive black lace bra and matching sheer thong. Mr. Sheffield had been right about these at least. Perfect fit. It was strange that a man in his early forties would be married to a woman with a size 0 waist, but the thought didn’t last long. I had to look at myself in the beautiful lingerie.
The woman staring back from the full-length mirror was beautiful, more beautiful than I remembered ever being. I could have done modeling, and I ran my fingers over the lace that caressed all of my most sensitive areas. I brushed against the thin material that separated my pussy from the cool air of the room, and I felt something that I hadn’t in six months: a throbbing need.
I tried to push the thought out of my mind. I was living with a man, but he was my employer, not my boyfriend or lover. I couldn’t fuck this up. This was my one chance, and I wasn’t going to make the same mistakes I had in college. Sex had been my downfall then, and I swore that it was the last thing I was going to worry about now that I was making a life for myself!
I looked down at the ruby-red spaghetti-strap day dress that Mr. Sheffield had left on the bed. It was fun with sequins across the bust and a line of small lace bows down the front, but when I put it on, it seemed to have been made too short. The bottom rested only inches from the bottom of my ass and the top barely covered the bra, revealing a very large amount of cleavage. Mr. Sheffield may have been a kind-hearted man who was trying to give me a chance where others had forgotten I’d existed, but he was still a man. I didn’t think he was going to do anything to hurt me, and if he wanted to look at a pretty girl in an arousing dress, I couldn’t blame him. It was a small price to pay for a roof over my head.
I brushed my hair and looked into the mirror again. I looked like someone out of a magazine. I felt refreshed, and my skin seemed to glow. It was almost as though the last six months hadn’t happened. For the first time in a long time, I felt completely human instead of a beast living in twilight. I gave the mirror an ear-to-ear smile and left the room.
Mr. Sheffield was relaxing in a coffee-colored leather recliner with his laptop open and the news on the TV. I sat down on the matching distressed leather couch next to him and waited for him to say something. I was full of excitement, but Mr. Sheffield was intimidating now that I knew what I was risking if I made a simple mistake. So I just watched him and waited.
My pussy was unrelenting about its hunger, though. I hadn’t had sexual thoughts in months, and now that I was clean, it was craving to be filled. I’d never felt this overcome by desire before. Even when I’d been a drunken college student surrounded by sexy frat boys, the needs had paled in comparison to the way that I felt now. I couldn’t help staring at Mr. Sheffield. My eyes roamed over his body. He was wearing a concealing button-down shirt, but the ripples of toned, yet not obscenely large, muscles showed through the arms and shoulders of the shirt.
When I looked down at his pants, I could see a bulge that let me know that there was no doubt in his ability to satisfy a woman, and my pussy begged me to be the slutty sorority girl that I’d been. The tight lace thong pressed against my hairless pussy, and I had a hard time pushing the thoughts of Mr. Sheffield ravishing me out of my mind.
His salt and pepper stubble gave him an experienced and slightly rough appearance. The bright hazel eyes constantly blazed with intensity as he read and typed, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to them. I imagined staring into them as we lay next to each other in bed. I knew that I needed to stop thinking of him this way, but my newly awoken desires made it difficult.
Seconds ticked by in the silence; his fingers tapping away at the keyboard were the only sounds in the room other than my pounding heartbeat. Whatever happened, I was going to make sure that I kept my job. I would not give into my desires, and I would focus on what mattered: making sure that Mr. Sheffield was happy. I could masturbate in my room tonight, and then I’d feel much better, but for now, my cunt needed to stop begging. After what seemed like forever, but was actually more like five minutes, Mr. Sheffield closed his laptop and turned to me.
“Let’s sit at the table, Maggie. Then we can talk about the details of your new job.” He stood up, and I followed him to the embellished and stylish dark cherry dining room table.
“You look so much better after your shower. I bet you feel better as well, don’t you?” His arms rested on the table as he crossed one leg over the other.
“Yes Mr. Sheffield, I feel like a brand new girl.” I tried not to act as awkward as I felt. I was intimidated and had no idea how to make idle conversation anymore.
“Well, let’s get down to it then. You’ll be responsible for making breakfast and dinner, maintaining a grocery list, and cleaning the house. For the first week, I’ll give you the chore list for the day so that you know the level of detail that will be expected. After the first week, it will be up to you to make sure that everything gets done at whatever pace you decide. I will make sure that everything is bought on the grocery list on Mondays and Thursdays, and you’ll be able to use anything in the kitchen. That means that you need to plan ahead for meals. Don’t get caught without enough food. Do you have any questions?”
“No sir, that all sounds reasonable.” It seemed like a lot of responsibilities to me, but I understood that it wasn’t that much for a normal housekeeper. My hand gently tapped on the tabletop as Mr. Sheffield spoke. I had so much nervous energy that it had to escape somewhere.
“Now I need you remember that I’m from a different generation. I expect you to be awake, dressed, and making breakfast by 6 am every morning during the week and 8 am on the weekends. That means that you need to look professional by that time. Don’t cook breakfast in your pajamas. You will also be required to wear professional clothing at all times if you are outside of the bedroom. Make sure that your clothes are being washed. I will not put up with you or your clothes stinking. You’re not homeless anymore, and I expect you to act like it.”
I felt a bit of shame creep over me at his remark about how badly I’d stunk, but I nodded in acceptance. He could degrade my past appearance all he wanted. That wasn’t me anymore. I’d already scrubbed the past from me, and I’d been reborn as a professional woman who would be taking care of Mr. Sheffield’s domestic duties.
“If you accept those terms, then you can start dinner while I do some work in my room. It’s 4 o’clock right now, and I expect dinner to be on the table by 6. If you have questions about anything, please let me know.”
I said, “Yes, sir,” and stood up. Mr. Sheffield left the room, and the silence was almost oppressing. The city had always had noises. Even at three in the morning, you could hear rats scrabbling in trash cans and cats in heat. Cars would speed by, and construction workers filled the midnight shifts with banter and work. Now, it was silent, and I was alone with a single task: cook dinner. It was too bad that I’d never done that before.
I went to the open-layout kitchen and began exploring. Everything was well organized, and the entire kitchen was extremely intuitive. When I looked into the refrigerator, I saw pork chops and thought back to my short stint in the sorority house. I’d seen people cook pork chops, but I’d never made them myself.
I would have to try my best because I certainly wasn’t going to ask Mr. Sheffield for instructions on simple cooking. So I turned the stove to medium and plopped four thick pork chops into the pan. Then I found some angel hair pasta and alfredo sauce. I knew that I could cook basic pasta, so that would be one side. Then I saw some frozen broccoli. None of it had any theme other than filling the typical requirement of meat and two sides.
I put the broccoli in a pot along with the recommended amount of water. Then I waited, and my mind began to stray. This entire situation seemed comical to me. I’d cooked a handful of times, and now I was going to be paid to be a cook. I would have to do a lot of research tomorrow when Mr. Sheffield went to work. My mind drifted to what I would cook this week since I had almost unlimited options. Burgers. Lasagna. Steak. All of these things had been daydreams for me this morning, and now I would be choosing and preparing them. The winds of change were a tornado in my case. Time passed as I daydreamed and stared into space like I normally did while I panhandled.
Then I looked down to see the pork chops smoking, and I reached down to flip them over, but they were stuck. I got the metal spatula and tried to scrape them off the pan, and only succeeded in shredding the bottoms and leaving huge burn marks on the pan. There was no salvaging them, and I turned the stove off. I looked into the refrigerator, and there wasn’t any other meat to cook. I’d messed up the first job that Mr. Sheffield had given me. I couldn’t believe that I’d let daydreams take priority over making our dinner. I’d sworn to myself that I wouldn’t ruin this chance, and already, I’d returned to that fucked up college girl who didn’t pay attention.
The smoke alarm started beeping as the kitchen filled with smoke. The stuck pieces of pork chop had continued to burn in the hot pan. Mr. Sheffield appeared in the kitchen and reached up to pull the battery out of the smoke alarm. He didn’t say anything as he opened the windows and pushed me out of the way so that he could clean up the mess that I’d made.
I just stared in panic as the stern-faced older man took charge and fixed my mistakes. He’d seemed so friendly only an hour ago, but now his jaw was clenched tightly as he scraped the burned meat into the trash can and washed the pan. It only took him a few minutes to remedy my mistake, but his eyes hardened, and he said, “Maggie, come sit down. We need to talk.”
I looked down at the floor and tried to be the invisible girl living on the streets, but his eyes burned into me, and his anger seemed to grow at my attempt to hide from his wrath. I nodded, and he walked back to the couch so that we could escape the haze of smoke that filled the kitchen. He sat down on the loveseat and patted the seat next to him, indicating that he wanted me sit there.
When I sat down and smoothed out the dress, he said, “Maggie, do you know how to cook?” His voice was calm, but there was a fierceness behind it. He was holding back most of his emotions, and I was thankful for that small kindness.
“A little?” I answered hesitantly. “I’ve cooked some things like pasta and vegetables, but I’ve never cooked anything complicated or any kind of meat. I’m sorry that I took the job without telling you that.”
“I’m glad that you aren’t lying to me. If you were lying, I would have returned your clothes to you and kicked you out. I can promise that lying to me is the absolute worst thing you can do when you deal with me.” He stopped for a moment as something crossed his mind. “Instead, I’ll help you work through it. I need someone who can cook and clean. Do you at least know how to clean?”
“I think so. It may not be to your standards, though. If you tell me when I do things wrong, I’ll fix them. I promise! I’ll do anything it takes to keep this job. You’re saving my life, and I know it! Please don’t make me go back to the streets!” I didn’t try to put on the sad puppy dog face that all young women hold in their back pocket. This man did not want vulnerable. He wanted someone who was direct and honest.
Mr. Sheffield was quiet as his fingers tapped the arm of the loveseat in a very antsy manner. His ponderous face was much calmer now, and he was silent as he stared at the wall. Every once in a while, he’d close his eyes briefly before opening them again to look at me. He seemed to make a decision, though. A brief moment of sadness filled his face before he began to speak, and then it was gone.
“I have a thought. You don’t have to agree to it if you don’t want to, but I feel like it would be the best way to help you learn quickly and efficiently.” His gaze was steady and completely focused on me. I tried to keep my eyes focused on him but constantly felt like I needed to look away. “I am giving you an opportunity that most people wouldn’t even consider. You’ll get a chance to turn your life around and do something with it. All I asked was for you to cook and clean, but you can’t do either one to my satisfaction currently.”
I was silent as he spoke. I hung on every word that fell from his lips, knowing that things had changed, and all I hoped was that they had not changed beyond repair.
“I’m old enough to be your father, and that may be why I am giving you this opportunity. I would hate to imagine a daughter of mine being in your position, and I’d hope that someone would give them an opportunity like this. I only know how to teach one way, and that’s through strict discipline along with rewards for good behavior.”
“For an infraction such as this one, you would earn a bare-bottom spanking with my hand. If you did something worse, such as start a fire or completely forget to cook dinner, you could earn a spanking with the belt or a cane. The bruises on your ass would remind you to focus throughout the day, and you will try even harder to please me.”
The thought of being spanked by Mr. Sheffield wasn’t something that I’d ever considered. I’d never considered being spanked by anyone for that matter, and my parents hadn’t even spanked me as a child. I’d been their princess, and they had overlooked my faults and praised me for everything I did right. Maybe this would be a good way to correct my bad track record with being a responsible young woman.
“What do you think about my proposition?” His fingers tapped even faster on the edge of the loveseat.
I knew what my answer would be. I’d already seen the light at the end of the tunnel of my poverty, and it led through this man. Did I want him to spank me? I didn’t know. I didn’t want the pain of being hit, but the thought of being disciplined seemed to be something that I could handle. I had no desire to ever live on the streets again, and if a little pain helped me to get to a happy and stable arrangement with Mr. Sheffield, I would do it. In truth, I had a strange desire to make him proud of me. I’d only known him for a day, but he was an impressive man. Plus, he just felt like the kind of father that I had pictured fairy tale princesses having.
“Mr. Sheffield, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my job and stay here with you. If you think that giving me a spanking will help me to become a better employee, I will gladly take it. You’ve given me the first bit of hope in so long, and I’m not going to let it slip away. I’m sorry that you’ll have to punish me, but I will gladly take whatever punishment you deem appropriate.”
His eyes seemed to change from thoughtful and slightly frustrated into something different. Something primal. “Then bend over my knees, lift up your dress, and pull your panties down. You’ll get five swats for ruining dinner.” A shiver ran through me as his command rippled over my body.
I nodded my head and slid my nervous body over his lap. I could feel his cock begin to rise underneath me, and my resolve to stay professional weakened. His cock began to twitch as I reached behind me and pulled up the back of my dress, exposing my ass to a man for the first time in so long that I barely recognized the feelings that coursed through my veins. His soft hand rubbed against my pale cheeks lightly, as though he were caressing a beautiful piece of art rather than a woman’s body.
I pulled my thong down, and his hand grasped a full globe of flesh tightly before taking a deep breath. He was strong. So much stronger than I’d imagined. My heart was racing as I prepared myself for the pain that would soon be radiating from my ass. I had never had a spanking in my life, and I had no idea what to expect. His fingers released my ass, and I unconsciously held my breath as I waited for his hand to come down hard on me.
Then I felt it, the stinging pain of his palm connecting with the tender bottom part of my right butt cheek. I let out a shriek as my body jolted forward trying to escape the pain. I wouldn’t escape him. I knew that. I had no control over my body as the pain shot through me, though, and I was thankful that his other arm had held me in place. His cock was standing at attention underneath me, pressing hard into my belly, and I felt a sensation overcome even the pain that radiated from my ass: lust. My blood was quickly flowing to my exposed pussy, and when his hand came down again, the shriek was much quieter even though the pain was much worse.
I didn’t understand why I was getting wet from the spanking. I didn’t know if it was because I just wanted someone to touch me, or if it was the pain that was turning me on. Or was it the fact that I was being punished? I’d had rough sex before, and it hadn’t made me feel this way. The only way that this spanking could be any better was if my fingers were rubbing my clit, and Mr. Sheffield was whispering dirty things in my ear.
My ass must have been growing red, and as his hand connected for the third time, I was silent. I closed my eyes and envisioned him spanking me and leaving crimson handprints where ever his large hands touched me. My breathing was deep and ragged as lust and desire filled my mind and body. My hands gripped his slacks tightly as my legs began to spread, subconsciously begging him to touch my other, more desperate areas. I would have called myself a filthy slut, except that it wasn’t just that I was horny and wanted a man’s touch. I only wanted this, and I only wanted Mr. Sheffield to be doing it. And I had no idea why.
The fourth spanking didn’t elicit a shriek or cry. Instead, it was a soft moan of pleasure. I couldn’t understand anything my body was telling me at this point. I knew that there was pain, and I knew that I was embarrassed by being in this position. Except, the only sensation was that tingling electricity that flowed through your body as you relaxed and let a guy eat your pussy. That wasn’t right either, though. It was more like getting fingered in public. You knew that you should stop it, but you also knew that you didn’t want to.
My ass moved back to its initial place almost instantly, and I wished that I could receive more than just five spankings. I didn’t want to have to make mistakes to continue receiving spankings from this experienced man. I didn’t understand why I would want pain, but the desire was clear. His hand on my ass was turning me on more than anything I’d experienced before, even when I’d been a party slut in college.
The fifth spanking came down, and I let out a deep moan of desire causing his cock to twitch yet again underneath me. His hand began to pull my thong back into place, but his fingers grazed my pussy and sent waves of pleasure through me. My crotch moved with its own mind and softly rubbed against his leg. I longed to have something inside of me, but I didn’t know what to say or how to convince him to give it to me. He flipped the back of my dress down, and said, “You did well for your first spanking. Now you need to tell me, ‘Thank you, Mr. Sheffield, for helping me to become better for you.’”
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
An emotionally gripping, dark romance that will stay with you.
By J. Foshia on October 21, 2015
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This isn’t the first book by Lexie that I have read, and it sure in the heck will not be the last!
Lexie captures your attention and interest in the opening scene, and holds it through until the very end of this book.
We are introduced to our main female character, a 20-year-old former college sorority girl named Maggie, who has spent the past few months homeless and living on the streets, scouring dumpsters for scraps of food to hold her over. She has become jaded, and lives in fear, knowing that she has nowhere to turn. That is until she comes in contact with Mr. Sheffield.
Mr Sheffield is an older, wealthy gentleman who shows sympathy, without showing pity, toward Maggie. He offers her not only lunch, but a job…and for Maggie, his offer brings hope that she may finally have a chance to better her life, make something of herself.
Mr. Sheffield has very strict expectations for Maggie, and should she not live up to them she will receive a punishment.
What starts off as an employer/employee relationship soon develops into something deeper, darker, more emotionally dependent and intense than either character seems ready for. These two love each other so much, but are so fearful of what that means that they hold back from, or lash out at one another as a way of preserving their own heart. In the end though, that fear leaves them both heartbroken, and torn.
Lexie has written this dark romance in such a way that you are experiencing every emotion along with the characters. The joy, fear, loneliness, hope, jealousy, heartbreak – you feel it all. Some of the scenes go in to so much detail that you may even actually feel them physically. The words leap off the screen and play in your mind like a 3-D movie.
When I began this book I was expecting the great writing that I have come to expect, and look forward to from Lexie; she never disappoints with her creativity in each book, but this one completely surpassed everything I have ever read by her to date. Once I began this tale I couldn’t put it down. It is not very often that I read a story that puts me through an emotional ringer like Torn did. It is a story that is more realistic of some love stories, since we know not every story ends with “Happily Ever After”. At the end you are left wondering if they are going to find their way to one another…or if their relationship remain forever Torn.
If it were possible to give this book more than 5⭐ I would. Amazon does not have a ranking high enough for this one.
The journey you are taken on when you read Torn will stay with you for a long time, and you will only be disappointed when you read the last page because you will not want it to end.
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