I Belong
to You (Book 5) Inside Out
Synopsis
Master...
Being that person, that man, is how I define myself, how I
allow the
rest of the world to define me as well. And now, with a
terrible loss
shredding me inside out and someone trying to destroy my
family to
punish me, control is more important than ever. It is
everything. It is
what I need. It is all I need. Or maybe I just need...her.
Excerpt
“Mark.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as Crystal’s voice stirs an odd
sensation in my chest that somehow eases the ache in my gut. Desire rockets
through me, and I tell myself it’s about fucking and control. I need it, and
she’s my safe zone outside of the club.
“Are you okay?” she asks when I do not speak.
When our gazes meet the jolt is as unwelcome as it is
intense. She feels it, too. I see it in the slight widening of her eyes, the
way she curls her fingers into her palms on the counter across from me.
“You were furious with me a few minutes ago,” I say. “Why
are you standing here now?”
“I’m not one-dimensional. I can be furious and worried at
the same time.”
Unable to squash my intrigue over the unknowns of her
past, I agree. “No, you aren’t one-dimensional. Nor are you simply a rich girl
who wants to prove something to daddy.”
“Thank you.” She crinkles her brow. “I think.”
We fall into silence, a hum of electricity charging
between us. “I still go back to you saying ‘The End’ to me a few minutes ago.
You meant it this time, too. That doesn’t translate to you standing here.”
“Neither does much of what you do, where I’m concerned.”
“You’re absolutely right. It doesn’t. What does, though,
is sticking to ‘The End.’ What doesn’t is how badly I want to drag you into
another room and fuck you right now.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not me you want. It’s someone
who’ll sign a contract and be your outlet and bridge to control. You left that
bedroom thinking about the impossibility of a reason for Rebecca’s death,
beyond your self-blame and guilt. You need that bridge.”
There is banked pain lacing her words, and a hint of the
earlier anger I’d seen in her eyes. I could make those things go away by
telling her what she’s said isn’t true. I could tell her she’s gotten under my
skin. But I don’t even know who the man beneath the surface is right now. I’ve
destroyed two women. Crystal doesn’t deserve to be number three.
“Is everything okay?” my father asks from the doorway,
repeating Crystal’s earlier words.
“Yes,” I say, my gaze lingering on Crystal before I push
off the counter, hands going to my hips. “We’re ready to talk to Mom about
what’s been going on.”
“We are?” Crystal asks, sounding surprised. “Tonight?”
“We can’t risk her finding out from somewhere else,” I
explain.
“She’d feel betrayed,” my father adds.
Crystal gives a choppy nod. “Yes. I can see that. But I am
not looking forward to telling her.”
“None of us are,” my father says. “Right now, though, she
wants us all to eat together. And since it’s the best chance we have of getting
some food down her, I say we wait until after we’ve finished. I don’t want to
jeopardize her appetite.”
“I’m all for getting food down her,” I say. “She’s skin
and bones.”
“I’ve been force-feeding her what she does eat,” Crystal
adds. “The nurse suggested some high-calorie protein shakes. I tried that, but
she hates them.”
My father starts to turn, then pauses. “By the way,
Crystal, Larry Prescot called me just before you got here. You won him over.
Thanks for calming him down before he got to Dana.”
“My pleasure.”
He disappears into the hallway and I grab Crystal’s arm.
“How okay is Prescot?”
“Very.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I threw out my father’s name—something that I normally
would never do.”
“But?”
“I was on the phone with my father when the receptionist
buzzed to tell me that Prescot had arrived for our meeting. My father overheard
and insisted that I drop his name. I reminded him that I’m adamant about
succeeding on my own merits. But I’m also not one to foolishly ignore resources
when backed into a corner, and I was. Prescot was being a total jerk. I knew we
were about to lose the business.”
“So you broke your rule.”
“I did. And it was an amazing turnaround. Prescot suddenly
remembered the many ways people have tried to paint him as a monster in the
media, and became sympathetic rather than judgmental. I called my father
afterward, and it turns out that Prescot enjoys the benefits of his secretary
beyond her exceptional organizational skills, and his wife of twenty years
doesn’t know.”
“But your father does.”
“Yes. And now, so do we.”
My lips curve. “Sounds like I owe you and your father a
thank-you.”
“All you’d get in return from my father is a demand that I
quit my job. He hates me working for anyone but him, especially now with all
this bad press.”
“Is he afraid it will overflow to him?”
“No. He’s afraid I’ll get hurt.”
Me too, I think. Me too. “And what did you tell him?”
“I told him I’m his daughter, not his possession. He
doesn’t own me any more than you do, and neither of you gets to claim
responsibility for my happiness. That’s all mine.”
As she leaves the room, I stare after her in silent
agreement. I’m not responsible for her happiness. But I’m not going to be
responsible for her misery, either.
Review
4.5 out of 5 stars
While I have been a fan of this series since the first book I read (Rebecca's Lost Journal, yes I read out of order!) my feelings for Mark Compton have always been on the fence. Having really only seen him through Rebecca's eyes or Chris and Sara's eyes or hearing small tidbits of his inner thoughts in his novella's I just wasn't sure if I could let myself like him. He always seemed so distant, so cold, and when Crystal was first introduced I wasn't sure I wanted him to have feelings for her because I thought Rebecca deserved those feelings if he was going to give them to anyone. After all I NEVER knew how Mark truly, genuinely felt about Rebecca. But this full length novel about Mark completely blew me away. I loved every second of this story and I feel like I finally know the real Mark. I finally have my answers (he did love Rebecca! yay!), my doubts about him have all been put to rest and I can say without any reservations I am a big fan of him and an even bigger fan of him and Crystal as a couple.
I really feel like the theme of this book is transformation. Rebecca's presence in Mark's life was the catalyst, her disappearance only further pushed him and Crystal's love and acceptance of him, ugly side and all, was just what he needed to once again find himself, to quit running from his inner demons and instead face them head on, reach out and grab life, to actually live instead of going through the motions, trying to control every minor detail. Sometimes the best things happen when you give up control, and Mark's journey of transformation is the perfect example.
In my opinion another shining jewel of this book is Mark's relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Those moments show his softer side, they are the moments I really began to see exactly why Crystal was falling in love with the Master. You see, the Master is nothing more than a carefully constructed wall for Mark to hide behind and once Crystal begins tearing through the cracks Rebecca left behind there is absolutely no going back. The reader knows this, Crystal knows this and once Mark realizes it, buckle up and hang on because the side of Mark you are about to see, the REAL Mark is going to blow you away!
I love Crystal, she doesn't let Mark control her. She is strong, she knows when to push and when to "play" the game, she's compassionate. She isn't a damsel in distress and I loved watching her deal with Mark while at the same time dealing with the fallout when she acknowledges how deep her feelings for Mark and for the Master truly run. She pushes Mark to be the better man and the pages detailing their tug of war for the upper hand in the relationship are priceless.
Without a doubt I Belong to You is a fantastic, perfect addition to what I consider an extremely addictive series. I cannot wait to see the characters come to life in the TV series! Seriously, if you haven't already started the series what are you waiting for? Buy them now while they are on sale (crazy low prices for the first two books!) and fall in love with this story, it's romance, its mystery, it's intrigue, it's so many things, and I'm betting they will become your next favorite guilty pleasure!
SERIES READING ORDER & SALE LINKS
If I Were You (bk 1) ONLY $1.99
Being Me (bk 2)
Revealing Us (bk 3)
His Secrets (bk 3.1)
Rebecca’s Lost Journals Box Set
(bk 3.2 & 3.3 and includes Master Undone)
My Hunger (bk 3.4)
No In Between (bk 4)
My Control (bk 4)
I Belong to You (bk 5)
All of Me (bk 6)
Pre-order 2/2
About Author Lisa Renee Jones
New York
Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the
highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd
(Alice in Wonderland) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly
series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a
combination of the NY Times and USA Today lists.
Watch the
video on casting for the INSIDE TV Show HERE
Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has
published more than 40 books translated around the world. Booklist says that
Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a
paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.
Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing
agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also
praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing
women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa
loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at on her website and she is
active on twitter and facebook daily.
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