Dirty, Dark, & Dangerous: A Contemporary Romance Boxset

by Luciani, Kristen

  The heavily made up woman behind the desk smiles at me, her brightly painted red lips stretching across her face much like those of a clown. “Don’t worry, hon. He just went to get a pack of cigarettes next door. He’ll be back in a jiffy.”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding and glance up at Jeff. He smirks at me. “You have to relax a little. Look at it this way, I’ll be gone way before you, so the rest of our lives takes on a whole new meaning.”

  I punch him in the arm. “You’d better watch yourself, or I’ll stick you in a home the first chance I get.”

  He wraps his strong arms around my waist and twirls me around until we’re out of earshot from the rest of the group. “I think you like my cock way too much to send me away, regardless of how much of a pain in the ass I may be.”

  I shake my head and squeeze my arms tightly around him. “Do you ever think about how crazy this whole thing is? How it even happened?”

  He smirks. “I already told you. My cock is what got you here. You know you can’t live without it.”

  “My father thought I was a lesbian because I’ve never brought home a guy.” I lift an eyebrow. “I’ve never wanted this. Or at least, I tried to convince myself of that. It wasn’t worth the risk that I’d end up like my parents, so I always put my work first. But you broke through all of that, Jeff. You made me realize what was missing, what I can’t live without.”

  “Yeah, you needed an ex-con in your life to stir shit up and make things interesting.”

  “Or maybe I was waiting for someone to show me that all of the planning in the world doesn’t guarantee a smooth and easy ride.”

  “So, now we’re back to the ride, huh? You never complained that it was bumpy.”

  I giggle and stand on my tiptoes to throw my arms around his neck. “You’re so literal.”

  “That’s one I’ve never heard before.” He smooths back my hair and leans his forehead to mine. His scruff tickles my face, but damn, it’s so sexy, just like everything else about him. “And as for planning, the only things on my list for today are to marry you and get you naked as quickly as possible.”

  I brush my lips against his, gently opening his mouth with my tongue, drinking in the sweet flavor of his spearmint flavored gum. The butterflies in my belly swarm like they’re being chased with a net, and God, I hope they never get caught. I don’t ever want to lose this feeling.

  “If we keep doing this, I may have to reverse the order of my plan,” he murmurs against my mouth, fisting my hair..

  “Excuse me, future Mr. and Mrs., I hate to break up a kiss like that, but it seems that Elvis has returned to his chapel of love,” Eva sing-songs. “Ready to take that walk, Ari?”

  Breathless, I look into Jeff’s deep brown eyes. They crinkle in the corners as his smile widens. “I love you so much,” he whispers. “And I really need you naked and pressed up against a window in our honeymoon suite, so why don’t you strut that hot ass down the aisle now so we can move on to the second part of my plan?”

  I stifle a snicker and run a hand through his thick, tousled hair.

  Ready to walk? I’d happily dance over miles of scorching hot coals to be with this man.

  His hand makes its way down to my ass and he gives it a tight squeeze. A squeal escapes my throat as I jump into his arms for the second time today. “Yeah, I sure am.”

  Finally.

  * * *

  ONE YEAR LATER

  ARIANA

  I hug the warm pink bundle tight to my chest, closing my eyes and breathing in her sweet baby powder scent. I could sit here forever, stroking her wispy blonde curls and her soft cheeks. She is completely and utterly delicious.

  Not that I’m interested in the whole maternal thing. Yet, anyway. After having my cover all but blown after that psycho bitch Kate was arrested, I’ve been reassigned to a different unit within the Bureau. I no longer have to babysit Hollywood A-listers while investigating white collar criminals, but my current line of work isn’t really conducive to motherhood.

  “You have to let her go sometime, babe,” Jeff murmurs, dragging a finger down the side of her peach-cream face.

  “Not yet,” I whisper, grinning at my six-month-old niece Cari. “She smells so good. And she never fusses when I hold her. Do you guys notice that? It must mean she’s most comfortable with me.”

  “And how does that make you feel? In the mood to, you know, do stuff?” My sister Eva waggles her eyebrows at me.

  “Thank you, no.” I wink at Jeff. “We are just fine, loving life as newlyweds, going out to fancy dinners and parties, coming home late without having to worry about who’s going to get up at the crack of dawn to feed a baby…”

  Eva yawns. “Sounds like a dream. I can’t remember the last time we went out to dinner. It may have been the night of your wedding.”

  I snicker. “See? We still have plenty of time.”

  Jeff grunts and collapses on the couch next to me. “Speak for yourself. I’d like to not be the only senior citizen parent at my kid’s kindergarten graduation.”

  “Ouch. That doesn’t give you much time after all.” Damon snickers and hands his father a bottle of Blue Moon.

  I roll my eyes. “You’re not helping. Besides, how can I have a baby now? I just got a monster promotion, and I have a ton of travel planned over the next few months. I can’t just announce that I’m pregnant!” I hug my niece and lower my voice. “Besides, I have Cari.”

  “It doesn’t count until she spends the night, okay?” Eva waves her hand in the air. “Now, will you please give her up to your husband? He’s trying to be patient, but let’s face it. Not his forte.”

  Jeff smirks and takes a gulp of the beer. “She knows me too well.”

  “I sure do, Dad.” Eva stands up and holds out her hand. “Ari, want to help me in the kitchen?”

  “I guess that’s my big hint.” I let out a deep sigh and slowly hand Cari to Jeff. I do love the way his face lights up once she’s nestled in his strong arms. It’s a side of him I never thought I’d actually see. But he’s adopted a completely different persona now that he’s a grandfather. The badass ex-con has a soft side. Who knew?

  He grins at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I swear it looks like he wants to giggle, he’s so excited to hold her.

  I lean over and drop a soft kiss on his lips. He knows I love the scruff, but today it’s gone. Cari always warrants a clean shave. God, that baby has such a magnetic pull on me. Eva grabs my hand and pulls me off of the couch. “Jeez, at least give him a few minutes before you grab her again. I think you’ve held his granddaughter more than he has!”

  “Ugh! Fine!” I follow Eva into the kitchen. “Why were you so desperate for my help? It’s just pizza! Oh, by the way, did you get the anchovies? I’m dying for some!”

  “Mm-hm,” Eva murmurs, lifting the lid of the pizza box. She wrinkles her nose. “That smells horrible. I think you may need to eat in here. Alone.”

  “Stop.” I swat her hand away from the box. “At least I won’t have to fight you for any of it. I swear I can eat this whole thing!” I grab a slice and a napkin, sinking my teeth into the covered slice. “Yum,” I mumble. “This is amazing.”

  “It’s disgusting. But sure, we can say it’s amazing.”

  “Do you have any hot sauce in there?” I point to the fridge and chew like it’s the last meal I’m going to eat.

  “Since when do you like hot sauce?”

  “Since always!” I snicker. “Maybe if you came out to dinner with us, you’d know that.”

  Eva cocks an eyebrow at me and pulls open the fridge. She grabs a bottle of Tabasco sauce and twists it open for me, watching as I sprinkle it all over my next slice. “I don’t care, but isn’t this just supposed to be a quick lunch? You guys have plans for your anniversary tonight, don’t you?”

  I nod. “Yeah, but that’s hours away. Oh, you know what would be so incredible on this pizza?”

  Eva flashes a toothy grin. “I bet I do. Ch
ocolate sauce, right?”

  “No, avocado!”

  She clutches her stomach. “There’s something wrong with you, Ari.”

  “I’m just hungry. I didn’t eat breakfast.” I pull an avocado from the bowl on the counter and peel it. The texture is perfect, soft with a buttery texture. My mouth waters as I slice a few pieces onto the anchovies.

  I look up, and Eva’s face resembles the color of my avocado topper. “I am so grossed out right now. Just watching you turns my stomach.”

  I dangle the pizza in front of her. “It’s so delicious!”

  She taps a finger against her cheek, watching as I scarf down my second slice. “I made chocolate lava cake for dessert. Your favorite.”

  I pause with the pizza slice halfway into my mouth. Suddenly, all I can smell is molten chocolate. It permeates the air around me, overtaking the scent of anchovies and Tabasco sauce. I drop the slice back into the box and clap a hand over my stomach. A few deep breaths do next to nothing for nausea that consumes me. I let out a low groan. “Why did you have to mention the cake?”

  Eva shrugs. “You love it. That’s why I made it. And I have the perfect wine to go with it—"

  I slap a hand to my mouth. If my stomach wasn’t churning at the thought of choco-overload, the idea of washing it down with wine…holy crap…

  The bar stool skids across the tile floor, and I make a run for the guest bathroom, collapsing on the shiny marble surrounding the white porcelain toilet. I clutch the sides of the bowl, my body heaving and convulsing as the anchovies, avocado, and Tabasco sauce resurface. And damn, does it burn on the way out. “What the hell is wrong with me?” I manage to whimper in between episodes. “Why is this happening?”

  “Oh, for Christ’s sake! You’re pregnant!” Eva hisses, kneeling on the floor next to me. “How did you not realize it?”

  “No, I’m not,” I whisper. “I just had my…okay, wait…maybe not just had, but it has to be only a few weeks ago that I…oh, shit…”

  “I’m thinking you just realized something big, am I right?” Eva smirks and shakes her head, stroking my back as the nausea crashes over me once again.

  “But I can’t be…we can’t be…” I gasp.

  “Really. Then tell me, in what lifetime do you scarf down anchovies, avocado, and Tabasco sauce, things you never ever eat separately, much less together, but puke your guts up when someone so much as mentions your favorite dessert? By the way, food cravings and aversions happen pretty early in pregnancy, sometimes before you even know your life’s about to change forever.”

  “Oh my God,” I whisper, using my arm to wipe away the tears streaming down my face.

  Eva grins and spins around to open the cabinet under the sink. “We could have an answer in three minutes or less.”

  I wipe my mouth. “You just happen to have a pregnancy test laying around?”

  “Well…” She pauses and the corners of her lips lift. “I may have had to take one last week.”

  “And…?”

  She clasps her hands together. “It was positive! I have an appointment next week with my doctor. Oh my gosh, Ari, we could be pregnant together! Isn’t that exciting?”

  I clutch my stomach and sit back against the wall, a groan erupting from my throat. “Yeah, I’m so excited that I could quite literally die right now.”

  “Come on! Just take it! Let’s find out for sure!”

  I swallow hard, my heart hammering against my ribcage. “Three minutes, huh?”

  * * *

  JEFF

  “What the hell is that stench?” I grumble, so as not to wake Cari, who is now snoozing in my arms. “And where is it coming from?”

  Damon snickers and takes a gulp of his beer. “Come on, it’s not that bad. She’s only six-months-old. Give her to me. I’ll change her.”

  “I think you’ve gone nose-blind. I’m not talking about Cari. It’s something else.” I wrinkle my nose. “Fucking toxic. Coming from in there. I sure as hell hope it’s not lunch.” I nod in the direction of the kitchen.

  “I don’t smell anything.”

  My iPhone buzzes in my pocket. “Dammit,” I grunt. I reluctantly hand Cari back to Damon, but only because I’ve been waiting for this call. I fish my phone out of my pocket. “Torres.”

  “Hey, Jeff. It’s Jackson. Can you talk?”

  I catch Damon’s curious eye and nod my head. “Yeah, J.T. What have you got for us this time?” Jackson Thomas was one of my cohorts while I was at the Bureau. We’ve worked together on a couple of recent deep undercover investigations for the government since Damon and I launched our own agency. After we closed the last case, he said he’d be in touch about a new case. Something big.

  “I need to meet with you. We have a case that’s been open for a while, but nobody has been able to gather enough intelligence on the organization we’re investigating. We could use your firm’s help.”

  “What are we talking about – some kind of white collar crime? Bank fraud, embezzlement—?”

  “Murder. Money laundering. Drugs.”

  “That all?”

  “No. Prostitution.”

  “That’s some busy organization.”

  “Big-time organized crime ring on the East Coast. One of the New Jersey families. The don kicked off about six months ago, and now his son and grandson are managing things. But shit’s starting to spin out of control, inside and outside of the family. It may be our chance to take them all down. It’d be a big win.”

  “Jersey, huh?”

  “Yeah, I’ll stop by next week to talk.”

  “Sounds good.” I click off the phone and look at Damon. “Looks like we have a new case.”

  “You’re going to New Jersey?”

  I leap up from the couch when I hear Ariana’s voice crack. “Babe, why are you crying?”

  She sniffles, and Eva appears behind her, a wide smile plastered across her lips and a hand behind her back. “Am I missing something?”

  “You can’t leave me!” Ariana’s tears start up again, and damn, I know I’m a guy and usually end up scratching my head about a lot of this shit, but I can’t figure out what the hell is going on here. “I need you here!”

  “Ari, it’s work. I travel all the time. What’s different about this case? I don’t understand why you’re so upset.”

  “Because…because…” She hiccups and covers her mouth.

  “Oh no, not yet…” Eva murmurs, slipping something into Ari’s free hand. “At least give him the news him first.”

  “What news?” I rake a hand through my hair. “Will someone please tell me why my wife is suddenly flipping the fuck out about my job?”

  Eva nudges Ari toward me. She looks up, makeup streaked under her red puffy eyes, shaky hand outstretched. “Because I’m ultra-emotional right now. And…pregnant.” A sob shakes her shoulders and a giggle slips out of her mouth. “I’m pregnant, babe. Happy anniversary.”

  I look down at the pregnancy test she’s clutching and see the double pink lines. Christ, if my head wasn’t spinning before, it sure as hell is now. “A baby?”

  She nods. “How’s that for a present?”

  I grab her hips and lift her in the air. “How did this happen? You said you wanted to wait.”

  Her arms snake around my neck. “I did. But I guess plans change, huh?”

  “I guess so.” I can’t stop smiling. “A baby,” I whisper against her hair, hugging her tight. “Best fucking present ever.” And I mean every word. I’ve never been so happy.

  “Two babies, actually.” Eva says, wrapping her arms around Damon’s shoulders. “We’re pregnant, too!”

  Everyone is hugging and laughing except Cari. She’s still sound asleep against Damon’s chest. But as excited as I am, panic sets in, and two thoughts keep looping through my mind.

  One…Holy shit, I’m gonna be a dad. What if I fuck it up again? I can’t fuck it up again!

  Two…How the hell am I gonna manage the mob now?

 
THE END

  DONUT TEASE ME:

  A Second Chance Best Friends to Lovers Romance

  * * *

  Stephanie Kelly thought donuts were her greatest love until rocker Bobby Moone crooned his way into her life.

  For years, she ignored her feelings, and now, he’s gone. Off to Los Angeles to take over the music world while she nurses a box of donuts and a broken heart.

  He could have stayed. He could have married her instead.

  Maybe she should have told him that was an option before he left.

  Maybe she still can…

  Donut Tease Me © 2018 by Kristen Luciani

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Except for the original material written by the author, all songs, song titles, and lyrics mentioned in this novel are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.

  All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, scanned, distributed, or used in any manner whatsoever, via the Internet, electronic, or print, without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For more information, or information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact Kristen Luciani at kluciani@gmail.com.

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