Teaser Thursday! ‘Purged’ by Livia Grant

Oct 4, 2018 | Guest Spot, Teaser Tuesday

I have successfully edited TWO books, lovelies, and author brain is slowly starting to function again. I don’t have much time but got this from one of my best friends, Livia Grant, and could not WAIT to share it with you!  If you have read Black Light: Rescued or Black Light: Valentine Roulette you know these characters, ‘Purged’ is a short story about Khloe and Ryder.

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Purged

Khloe finally has it all, good friends, a successful acting career, a Dom who loves her, and a bright future ahead of her. Despite that, when old insecurities arise after she is turned down for a role, Khloe falls back into old habits that lead down a dark and potentially dangerous path. If she can just hurry up, she can achieve her goal weight by the time anyone finds out. Because stopping is always the easy part, right?

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Excerpt

“Don’t say it. I’m perfect for this role. Nothing you are going to say to me will convince me otherwise.”

“It’s not that simple,” Edward asserted.

Before he could continue, she retorted, “Of course it is. I’ve earned this role, Edward, and you know it. The first two projects we did together were box-office mega hits as well as raking in numerous award nominations. I’m a proven commodity for you, Edward.”

Khloe hated the desperation she heard creeping into her voice. She had started to let the success and fame go to her head. She had forgotten what it felt like to have to fight for every role like she had just a few short years before.

Edward reached out to place his hand over hers on the table, patting her as if to placate a child. She resisted the urge to rip her hand away.

“I couldn’t be happier with your performance in the last two films we worked on together, Khloe, I am sure we’ll work together again, but we just don’t feel you’re right for the Margot role.”

“Why not? What is it you think I can’t bring to the part?” She wasn’t going to give up without a fight.

Edward nodded towards the director. Khloe turned to pin him with an expectant glare as she waited for him to answer.

“You’re too perfect. Margot is way too flawed for you to play convincingly.”

“That’s bullshit. Stop with the backhanded compliments. I’m an actress, not a model. You pay me to portray a character. I am the perfect person for this role.”

The director finally looked her directly in the eye. “I disagree. I don’t think you can pull it off. She is a tormented character who will need to sink into despair, ravaged by drugs and will…” he paused before adding, “waste away to nothing before she finally pulls herself up from near death.”

“And you think that level isn’t in my range as an actress?” she pressed him.

“What I think is that your body won’t be able to handle the strenuous trials I’m going to need to put Margot through.”

Her heart was pounding so hard, she could feel the beat in her ears as she tried to understand what he was saying.

“I resent that.” She turned, pinning Edward and adding, “Tell him Edward. Both Dirty Business and Smuggled Dreams were physically demanding roles.”

It was Angie who answered from across the table. “This role is different. I think what Charles is saying is that…”

Khloe cut her off. “Don’t forget, you work for me, Angie. You’re supposed to be convincing them there is no one better for this role, remember?”

The man in the three-piece suit who had been sitting silently finally spoke. “Your medical history has eliminated you from the running, Ms. Monroe.”

The small amount of food in her stomach threatened to make an appearance as the ringing in her ears got louder. A red-hot anger flared inside her. She had warned Ryder that all of the fucking weight he had made her gain was going to cost her jobs and how right she had been.

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I have a couple more excerpts to share from this anthology, I can’t wait to start reading this book. It is HUGE but it is for SUCH a good cause and it has so many good authors in it!

Amazon: Preorder now!

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Want more Livia Grant?

USA Today bestselling author Livia Grant lives in Chicago with her husband and furry rescue dog named Max. She is fortunate to have been able to travel extensively and as much as she loves to visit places around the globe, the Midwest and its changing seasons will always be home. Livia’s readers appreciate her riveting stories filled with deep, character driven plots, often spiced with elements of BDSM.