Cabot Perry, and the painting was of an elegant young woman in fine dress, holding a single pearl between her finger and thumb. Appropriately, it was called The Pearl.
Malcolm sat down with The Times and a cigar. Nice to see that politicians were still as daft and corrupt as they’d ever been, that the papers still printed the same rot and gossip they always had. The women, however, were even more beautiful now than they’d been in his day. The vote had been very good for them. Wonder if he could convince a young lady today to give him her vote of confidence. Now, in fact, would be a good time.
He closed his paper and tossed it aside. Snuffed out his cigar and left the smoking lounge.
Immediately, he saw a girl walking toward the lifts, blonde with big blue eyes. Her red coat suited her nicely, but would suit his bedroom floor even more nicely.
At the lifts, he caught up with her. “Pardon me, miss,” he said, “but do you work here?”
“I work for the boss, Lady Ferry,” she said.
“Oh, but you don’t…” he lowered his voice, “work here.”
She looked him up and down. Ah, he adored these modern girls who weren’t afraid to treat a man like a piece of meat.
“Dunno,” she said. “Maybe I do work here. Do you have the cock of a horse and the body of a soldier?”
Liberated women. Legal prostitution. Reliable contraception. Lord Malcolm Godwick was going to love the twenty-first century.
“Yes,” he said.
“Eat cunt on command?”
“No, but I will if you ask nicely. Twice if you beg.”
“You like spanking?”
“That would be the understatement of the century, my dear.”
That comment arched one lovely blond eyebrow. He always did enjoy a bit of rough before lunch.
“All right, so I suppose I do work here then.”
“I’m called Malcolm. And you are?”
“Zoot,” she said. “Well, that’s just a nickname. It’s really Greta.”
“Ah, you do belong here then. Did you know the name Greta means ‘pearl’?”
“Does it? Never knew that.” She smiled broadly. “Not a pearl of great price, promise you that. I’m very reasonable.”
“I like you more and more every second,” he said.
“You want to see my room? I have a pet raven.”
“I’d rather see your clitoris.”
She blinked, then grinned. “You can see that, too.”
They stepped into the lift. The doors closed slowly and for a brief moment they surrounded Lord Malcolm Godwick so that he appeared to be standing inside a gilt portrait frame, a wicked smile on his wicked face, with lovely Greta, a pearl of not-so-great price at his side.
The whole world was his oyster.
The End.
Acknowledgments
It may take only one madly determined and stir-crazy author to write a book, but it takes a village to edit one. Thank you from the bottom of my heart (and the heart of my bottom) to Jenn LeBlanc, Bethany Hensel, and Kira Gold for their eagle eyes and brilliant brains. The Pearl is a much better book thanks to them. Thank you to my handsome genius of a husband, Andrew Shaffer, for the beautiful cover and all the many hours of work he puts into every 8th Circle Press title. Thank you to my readers for embracing the Godwicks series. They do so love to be embraced, those naughty Godwicks. Among other things.
About the Author
Tiffany Reisz is the USA Today bestselling author of the Romance Writers of America RITA®-winning Original Sinners series from Harlequin’s Mira Books.
Her erotic fantasy The Red—the first entry in the Godwicks series, self-published under the banner 8th Circle Press—was named an NPR Best Book of the Year and a Goodreads Best Romance of the Month.
Tiffany lives in Kentucky with her husband, author Andrew Shaffer, and two cats. The cats are not writers.
Subscribe to the Tiffany Reisz email newsletter and receive a free copy of Something Nice, a standalone ebook novella set in Reisz’s Original Sinners universe:
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More Books by Tiffany Reisz
The Godwicks—Standalones
THE RED
THE ROSE
Gothic Romances—Standalones
THE BOURBON THIEF
THE HEADMASTER
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THE NIGHT MARK
The Original Sinners—Series
THE SIREN (Book #1)
THE ANGEL (Book #2)
THE PRINCE (Book #3)
THE MISTRESS (Book #4)
THE SAINT (Book #5)
THE KING (Book #6)
THE VIRGIN (Book #7)
THE QUEEN (Book #8)
THE PRIEST (Book #9)
The Original Sinners—Standalones
THE AUCTION (previously published as DANIEL PART TWO)
THE CHATEAU
THE GIFT (previously published as SEVEN DAY LOAN)
THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT
LITTLE RED RIDING CROP
A MIDWINTER NIGHT’S DREAM
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THE RETURN (THE CHATEAU sequel)
SOMETHING NICE
A WINTER SYMPHONY
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ABSOLUTION (Australia exclusive; out of print)
THE CONFESSIONS
MICHAEL’S WINGS
SUBMIT TO DESIRE/IMMERSED IN PLEASURE (duology)
WINTER TALES
Men At Work—Standalones
HER HALLOWEEN TREAT
HER NAUGHTY HOLIDAY
IAN’S FORBIDDEN DREAM GIRL (ONE HOT DECEMBER prequel)
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“Deliciously deviant…. Akin to Anne Rice’s ‘Beauty’ series.” — Library Journal (Starred Review)
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On the day of Lia Godwick’s university graduation party, she receives a beautiful wine cup, a rare artifact known as the Rose kylix. It was used in the temple ceremonies of Eros, Greek god of erotic love, and has the power to bring the most intimate sexual fantasies to life…
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Erotica maven and award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel has compiled the most scintillating bondage stories into one amazing collection, Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1. Featuring “The Beguiling of Merlin,” a standalone Godwicks short story!
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The Pearl
Copyright © 2020 Tiffany Reisz
All rights reserved. No part of this publications may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, 8th Circle Press (a division of 8th Circle Entertainment), Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living, or dead, is purely coincidental.
Trade Paperback ISBN: 9781949769166
Audiobook available from Tantor Audio
Cover design by Tiffany Reisz and Andrew Shaffer. Elements used under license from Arcangel.
The Pearl Hotel logo designed by Andrew Shaffer
Interior paintings are reproduced from public domain images. Credits: The Pearl by Lilla Cabot Perry (1913), The Umbrella by Marie Bashkirtseff (1883), Woman With Pearl Necklace in a Loge by Mary Cassatt (1879), and Phosphorus and Hesperus (Morning Star and Evening Star) by Evelyn de Morgan (1881).
First Edition. eBook Version 1.0.