Savage Chains: Captured by Caris Roane

 An undercover operative, Reyes is posing as a buyer to bring down an illegal sex-slavery ring operating out of vampire BDSM clubs. His mission—to infiltrate the inner circle and destroy them from the inside out—becomes infinitely more difficult when he recognizes the prize attraction at a slave auction: Angelica, the woman who stole his heart years ago. Against his better judgment, he buys her in order to save her from the club's brutal customers. But now the woman who holds his heart despises him, believing he's one of the human traffickers he's out to destroy. But can he tell his beautiful captive the truth and risk everything?

Savage Chains: Captured is the first novella within the Men in Chains series that tells Reyes and Angelica’s story … at least the first part of it. As the blurb says, Reyes is seeking to bring down a sex slave ring that traffics in both human and vampire slaves. As he is about to make his play to secure his entry into the group so that he can gain the access he needs to be able to dismantle the operation, he comes face-to-face with his worst nightmare … the woman he cares for is up on the auction block and has caught the attention of one of the most sadistic members of the group. While I could understand Reyes’ commitment to his mission and his willingness to sacrifice the good of the few (Angelica) for the good of the many (all the slaves he could save), I was so relieved when he was unable to let Engles win.

While there is some serious chemistry between Reyes and Angelica, he is so convincing in his role as slaver that Angelica goes from thinking that he might be “The One” to being repulsed by him. This is further exacerbated as he attempts to bend her to his will without breaking her so that she presents as a well-behaved submissive and his cover isn’t blown. His methods make for an entertaining read, especially when he decides to use pleasure against her. Hot, yes. Effective, not at all. I would have felt bad for him if I hadn’t been laughing at his predicament. When he finally decides to tell Angelica what is going on, she’s more than happy to play the role of submissive and she plays it well.

Ms. Roane has crafted a well-written story that stands independently of the first book in the Men in Chains series. At no point did I feel lost and I was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the “show” so to speak as the relationship between Reyes and Angelica develops in a most unusual set of circumstances. I thoroughly enjoyed Savage Chains: Captured from beginning to end and look forward to reading the next Savage Chains novella.