Here's an edited excerpt from book one in the series, Degraded: In The Bar:

 

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I walk into 7th & Orange and I see you sitting just where he told me you would be, at the very end of the bar, where you naively believe that nobody will bother you. I smile to myself when I see you have that look on your face and you are posing your body in such a way, vainly attempting to telegraph to the entire room that you want and need no one. But I know that this is just a facade, ready to crumble at any moment, and that despite your better judgment you crave somebody - somebody who is exactly like me.

 

When he told me what he had done to you, laughing over drinks, I admit that at first I was repulsed, to think that a man would actually treat a woman the way that he treated you. But as he continued to tell his story I began to see the humor of it all, and eventually joined him in his laughter, with any of my mis-placed disgust banished from my mind. After all we are men and you are a woman and we treat you as nature intended us to do.

 

And because you allow us to treat you the way that we do.

 

You were anxious to go out with my friend even though he is nearly fifteen years your senior. You're a single mom with a daughter just entering college and you had not been out on a date, had not been alone with a man for who knows how long, so you jumped at his invitation to dinner. He knew you were desperate for company, desperate for whatever scrap of affection you could get from a man and he decided to take advantage of you, even though he knew that your relationship - if you could even call it that - was not going to go anywhere save for whatever happened that night.

 

Not that my friend wasn't attracted to you. You have the MILF-like quality that he likes. Mid-40s in age, red hair and a nice figure despite having had two children. About your hair, he was curious to discover if you were a true red head. So even though my friend prefers paying for no-strings-attached sex he decided to make an exception for you, for one night only. . . .

 

I smile as I stroll over to you, sitting at the bar. You are exactly the type of woman I am looking for tonight, and for the time being, while it suits my purpose, I will let you believe that I am the type of man you are looking for, a man who is sensitive and caring. As I pass you I catch your eye, but as expected you show no interest. Until I feign surprise, that is.

 

"Excuse me," I ask you, doing a double-take as I pass your seat. "But aren't you Tessa?"

 

Your eyes are red, maybe from lack of sleep, maybe from smoking too much, maybe from the god-knows-how-many cocktails you've had like the one you are working on, or maybe from crying. I don't really care to know the reason why but am pleased to sense that you are as defenseless as I anticipated. You look surprised that I should know your name. A glint of happiness flashes across your face, glad that somebody in this bar should know you, then just as quickly disappears as you raise your defenses.

 

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Read the entire Degraded series in one convenient bundle, Degraded: Everywhere