Hard to Serve: A Hard Ink Novella Read online

  Hard To Serve

  A HARD INK NOVELLA

  By Laura Kaye

  1001 Dark Nights

  HARD TO SERVE

  A HARD INK NOVELLA

  BY LAURA KAYE

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2016 Laura Kaye

  ISBN: 978-1-942299-26-4

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Hard To Serve

  A Hard Ink Novella

  By Laura Kaye

  To protect and serve is all Detective Kyler Vance ever wanted to do, so when Internal Affairs investigates him as part of the new police commissioner’s bid to oust corruption, everything is on the line. Which makes meeting a smart, gorgeous submissive at an exclusive play club the perfect distraction…

  The director of the city’s hottest art gallery, Mia Breslin’s career is golden. Now if only she could find a man to dominate her nights and set her body—and her heart—on fire. When a scorching scene with a hard-bodied, brooding Dom at Blasphemy promises just that, Mia is lured to serve Kyler again and again.

  Then, as their relationship burns hotter, Kyler learns that he’s been dominating the daughter of the hard-ass boss who has it in for him. Now Kyler must choose between life-long duty and forbidden desire before Mia finds another who’s not so hard to serve.

  About Laura Kaye

  Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Laura’s Hard Ink series has won many awards, including the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Romance Suspense of 2014 for Hard As You Can. Her upcoming Raven Riders series debuts in April 2016. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day. Learn more at www.LauraKayeAuthor.com.

  Also From Laura Kaye

  Click to purchase

  The Raven Riders Series

  RIDE HARD

  RIDE ROUGH

  The Hard Ink Series:

  Hard As It Gets

  Hard As You Can

  Hard to Hold On To

  Hard to Come By

  Hard to Be Good

  Hard to Let Go

  Hard Ever After

  HARD AS STEEL

  HARD EVER AFTER

  HARD TO SERVE

  The Hearts in Darkness Duet

  HEARTS IN DARKNESS

  LOVE IN THE LIGHT

  The Heroes Series

  HER FORBIDDEN HERO

  ONE NIGHT WITH A HERO

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Sometimes, you get to do really fun things with super cool people – and that’s totally the case with my 1001 Dark Nights books. The whole Dark Nights family, from Liz and M.J. to Jillian to all the other authors, is simply fantastic to work with, and I will remain forever grateful to Liz Berry for bringing me into the fold. And I have to thank both Liz and Jillian for their habit of texting me their reactions when they read my work – it’s the most fun an author can have with their phone!

  Next, I need to thank my best friend and fellow author Lea Nolan for helping me brainstorm parts of the book and for cheerleading me through! How lucky am I that get to work with my bestie every day?

  Thanks, as always, to my husband and daughter for supporting me and giving me the time that it takes to finish a book. I’m so fortunate to have the love and support of my family, and I can’t thank them enough.

  Finally, thank you to my Heroes for all your help and support, to my Reader Girls for squeeing over early excerpts from this book, and to all the readers of my books—you take my characters into your hearts and let them tell their stories over and over again, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. ~LK

  To Liz~

  The gardener of ideas

  The cultivator of magic

  The builder of castles in the air

  You build me and everyone around you up. And I’m so grateful to know you.

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One

  Click here to explore

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two

  Click here to explore

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

  and be entered to win a Tiffany Key necklace.

  There’s a contest every month!

  Click here to subscribe.

  As a bonus, all subscribers will receive a free

  1001 Dark Nights story

  The First Night

  by Lexi Blake & M.J. Rose

  One Thousand and One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.


  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Table Of Contents

  Book Description

  About Laura Kaye

  Also by Laura Kaye

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two

  Foreword

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Three

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Blasphemy, a new series from Laura Kaye

  An excerpt from Ride Hard by Laura Kaye

  Discover More Laura Kaye

  Special Thanks

  “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”

  ~Henry David Thoreau

  Chapter 1

  “You’re on restricted duty, pending medical clearance, Detective Vance,” Captain Mike Burkett said, his voice unusually formal as his gaze lifted from the file of paperwork. Probably because of the suit from internal affairs sitting beside him. Why the hell was that guy here for Vance’s evaluation to return to duty anyway?

  Detective Kyler Vance. That’s who he was. Who he’d always been. Who he needed to get back to being. He’d had enough time off and on his own to last for a lifetime.

  Kyler eyeballed the IA investigator and his gut tightened with suspicion. But he boxed that shit up tight even as his hands fisted against his thighs under the beat-up wooden table in the meeting room at the Baltimore Police Department’s headquarters. “Cap, it’s been three months,” he said, working to keep his temper in check. Three months since he’d been shot in the shoulder in the line of duty. Three months since that GSW had left him with nerve damage that affected the strength and dexterity of his right arm and hand. “I’m fine. I can do the job.”

  His captain gave him a pointed look full of truth and regret. “You still can’t meet the target-shooting qualifications. So you’re riding a desk. For now.”

  For now. Meaning, at some point, Kyler might be allowed to return to duty. Or he might not even be allowed behind that desk. Everyone wearing the uniform had to meet certain performance qualifications and standards, no matter what job they performed. Which was why Kyler had been one hundred percent committed to his physical therapy since a shooting spree erupted at a funeral attended by a bunch of his friends, killing a couple of bad guys and wounding more than a few good ones, himself included. But it had all been worth it to nail the scumbags responsible for murdering his godfather, Miguel Olivero, who had been his father’s partner on the force back in the day. “You know I’m working on it. I’m stronger every day.”

  Burkett nodded and released a weary breath. All at once, the lines on the older man’s weathered face betrayed not just his age but the stress he was under. Serving and protecting was an honor, but it was also a job that inflicted all kinds of wear and tear. “I know. And if there was something I could do—”

  “But there isn’t,” the IA guy said. Detective Niall Foster, his badge read. Kyler had seen him around from time to time, but he didn’t know him much more than that. Cops didn’t make friends with IA investigators. “I’ll tell you what Captain Burkett hasn’t yet said. You’re lucky to be on restricted duty and not administrative leave.”

  “Why the hell would I be on administrative leave?” Anger rolled through Kyler at the other man’s monotone voice and blank face, as if he wasn’t fucking with the only career Kyler Vance had ever wanted. Career, hell. Being a cop was his whole damn life. Just like it’d been for his father, uncle, and grandfather before him.

  Foster flipped open the file in front of him and skimmed his finger over the writing. “You’re no doubt aware that Commissioner Breslin has launched an investigation into corruption and conspiracy within the department, particularly as it relates to the city’s heroin trade. Your name has come to the attention of the investigation as a person of interest, and—”

  “Wait a goddamned minute,” Kyler said, launching to his feet and driving his finger into the worn tabletop. He couldn’t deny that he’d bent some rules in the weeks before his injury, but he’d done it in the name of uncovering that corruption—and nailing those responsible for Miguel’s death, both inside and outside BPD. Kyler supported the new commissioner’s goals to restore the integrity of the department, even if the guy was a hardassed, stubborn, my-way-or-the-highway son of a bitch. At least, that’s the impression all the guys had of him—Kyler hadn’t yet had the pleasure. “I’m not dirty, and I’d like the person who accused me of being otherwise to say it to my fucking face.”

  “Sit down, please, Detective Vance,” Foster said, gesturing to the chair behind him. Kyler sat reluctantly, but his muscles remained as tense as if he were expecting to be jumped. He certainly felt like he was being ambushed here. He glared at Burkett, who at least had the decency to look abashed. “No one has accused you. You’re not currently a suspect. But you are a person of interest in the investigation. Which, together with the fact that your physical limitations have placed you on restricted duty, is why you aren’t being put on administrative leave.”

  The phrase “physical limitations” was like a punch to the gut. Yeah, his shoulder and arm hurt sometimes—when steel pierced flesh you expected that shit to happen. But he could handle it, and he’d been working his ass off and was capable of ninety-nine percent of daily life functioning again. What he hadn’t yet mastered was superfine motor skills, of the kind that made you a reliably deadly accurate shot, for example. What if those skills never returned?

  “So what the hell does it mean then? What will it take for the investigation to be done being interested in me?” Kyl
er asked, his hackles still way up.

  “Time,” Foster said on a sigh, as if he were bored.

  Prick.

  “If you’re clean, the investigation will clear you and you have nothing to worry about.” As if that settled the matter, the man scooped up his paperwork and rose. “Commissioner Breslin wants to restore the department’s good name in this city and within the law enforcement community. Surely you can understand that. Support him in this mission, stay out of trouble and do your duty, and this will resolve itself in due course.” Foster looked to his side and nodded. “Captain Burkett.”

  “Foster,” his captain said as the IA guy turned and walked out the door, the stick firmly planted up his ass.

  Kyler’s gaze cut to Burkett. “This is bullshit.”

  “It is,” Burkett said, sitting forward in his chair as if he were about to share a secret. “But it’s also reality. And the more you stay on Breslin’s good side, the easier this will go and the faster it will disappear. Understand me?”

  Stay on the commissioner’s good side. A long moment, then Kyler gave a single, tight nod. Since he hadn’t done anything wrong, that shouldn’t be all that fucking hard.

  “Roger that.” Kyler rose when his captain did.

  “Take care of yourself,” Burkett said, extending his hand. They shook, and then Kyler found himself alone in the room.

  Take care of himself. Fine. He could do that. What he needed after this shit show was to blow off some fucking steam. It had been months—well, before getting shot—since he’d last played. It was time.