“Ah...me?” Anna asked.
“No.” I dropped the mop I’d been holding. “Me.”
“You can’t leave. Your shift isn’t up.”
“She quits,” Mason said.
“Is this you kidnapping me?” I asked with a grin.
He winked and turned to Anna. “Lorna’s done.”
“She was covering for Jane. If Lorna leaves, Jane is fired.”
“No,” he said matter-of-factly. “If you fire Jane, you’ll be cleaning this dump all by yourself. And I spoke to the owner.”
“Right.” she replied.
“We have a mutual friend. Sparrow’s the name.”
“Wait?” she stammered. “Who? What?”
“Come on, Lorna.” He turned to Anna. “And Jane gets a raise or it’s your ass out on the street.”
He reached for my hand and tugged me toward another big SUV. This time, instead of a driver, he sat behind the steering wheel. The back seats were laid flat and the entire space was filled with boxes. “What’s all that?” I asked as I fastened my seatbelt.
“Your stuff. Well, most of it. The rest will be delivered in a day or two.”
“Mason, you can’t do this.”
“I did it, sis. I’m keeping you safe. When things quiet down, you can move out. But for now, you’re stuck with me.”
Sighing, I leaned my head back against the seat as Mason drove. I wanted to argue, but honestly, I was too tired. Maybe I could argue after a good night’s sleep. My eyes shut and opened until I let the shut time linger.
They opened wide as the SUV descended into a tunnel. The walls were lined with lights. “Where are we?”
“Home.”
My pulse kicked up a notch as Mason parked the SUV amongst a slew of automobiles. There were cars, trucks, and SUVs. Some were new while others were older, and still others were classics.
I followed in disbelief as Mason led me to an elevator. He hit a button marked A, whisking us up and up.
“Lorna, first, I need to introduce you to my friends.”
“You have friends?”
“Funny.”
When the doors opened, it appeared that we’d entered a hotel lobby. However, instead of many, there were only three doors. “Ours is the one on the far left,” Mason said, heading that way.
“You live here?”
“For now, we live here. Don’t worry. It’s three bedrooms. You’re not sleeping on the couch.”
“If there is couch sleeping, that’s you. Kidnapping 101, I get my own room.”
Mason turned my way with a grin.
Before we could reach the door, the elevator we’d just left opened again. Three rather large men walked out. Large as in tall and muscled, not heavy.
I immediately recognized the dark-haired one as Sterling Sparrow. The blond was the one with Renita at the party, but his name was lost. My gaze was set on the third man.
Words forgot to form as our wide-eyed gazes locked upon one another.
“Lorna, you’ve met Sparrow,” Mason said, unaware of my shock. “And this is Patrick and Reid.”
It was as if my brother was speaking in a tunnel with water filling my ears. I couldn’t look away from my prince. But he wasn’t a prince, or maybe he was.
I did know he was dangerous, at least as dangerous as my brother and Mr. Sparrow.
Patrick came forward, his blue eyes smiling as he offered his hand. “Welcome, Lorna. Mason was right. We need to keep family safe.”
Mr. Sparrow nodded. “Stay here for now. That way he can concentrate and won’t be worried about distractions.”
Reid’s Adam’s apple bobbed as the colors exploded in his dark eyes. He looked from me to Mason, back to me. Finally, he settled on my brother. “Mason—”
I stepped forward, offering my hand. “Nice to meet you, Reid.”
My brother just brought me to this tower in the sky with these dangerous men for my safety. Announcing at this juncture that Reid and I had already met would not go well. As Reid looked my way, I very slightly shook my head, hoping he received my silent message.
He cleared his throat and shook my hand. “And you, Lorna.”
A grin came to my lips as I saw our hands, mine in his. Even in this awkward situation, I felt it—a surge of energy. The gleam in his eyes told me that he felt it too.
* * *
Later that night, I found myself in the hotel-lobby-looking area. Mason had given me a tour of this tower. It included the huge two-story penthouse above and our apartment with the room I was temporarily to call my own. From what I could deduce, we were somewhere far away from the South Side, high in the Chicago skyline.
Biting my lip, I paced back and forth between the other two doors. One belonged to Patrick and the other to Reid. I just didn’t know which was which.
I spun as the elevator opened and Reid stepped out, his hands behind his back. When our gazes met, his lips quirked to a lopsided grin. “Fucking crossed,” he said.
I took a tentative step toward him. “I’d say our paths are now neatly tied in a bow.”
He reached out with one hand, grasping one of mine. “More like a fucking knot. How did I not realize you are that Lorna?”
“How could you?”
“I need to tell Mason what happened.”
I shook my head. “Not yet, Reid.” Knowing his name made me happy. “Please. Mace says there’s a lot going on. Mr. Sparrow thinks I’m a distraction. Can we” —I motioned between us— “try this out and see how it goes before we make a big deal with my brother?”
“He’s one of my best friends.”
“We’re not lying. We’re just not telling—not yet.”
“For a while,” he said, “if I can kiss you.”
I lifted myself to my tiptoes and reached for his shoulders. “It’s a requirement.”
I melted against him as I ran my palms over his soft hair and wide shoulders. When I pulled back, he ran a finger over my cheek. “You’re even more beautiful without that mask.” He looked down. “And you do have legs.”
I laughed. “I’m not a mermaid.”
He pulled his other hand forward, holding the Louboutin shoes I’d worn to the party.
“What?”
Reid grinned. “You left these in the SUV. Maybe if I’d seen your legs...”
“You are my Prince Charming.” I kissed him again. “You found me.”
“If the shoes fit, you’re mine forever. Isn’t that how that story goes?”
I nodded. “Forever.”
And they lived happily for now
Danger’s First Kiss is Reid and Lorna’s first meeting.
Find out the rest of Reid and Lorna’s story in the trilogy DANGEROUS WEB, releasing November of 2020 with book #1, DUSK.
If you want to learn about more of the Sparrow men, begin the SPARROW WEBS series with Sterling and Araneae’s story, WEB OF SIN, SECRETS (FREE), LIES, and PROMISES.
Next, Mason and Laurel’s story, TANGLED WEB, TWISTED, OBSESSED, and BOUND.
And you won’t want to miss Patrick and Madeline’s story, WEB OF DESIRE, SPARK, FLAME, and ASHES.
All the Sparrow trilogies are complete and ready for you to BINGE.
**If you enjoyed Danger’s First Kiss, download DUSK, DANGEROUS WEB book #1.
And...if you’ve never met...Lennox and Alexandra Demetri, check out the INFIDELITY SERIES, not about cheating. Book #1, BETRAYAL is FREE.
Do you know Tony and Claire Rawlings’s story? If not, check out the CONSEQUENCES series, book #1, CONSEQUENCES is FREE.
And Oren Demetri has his own story in THE PRICE OF HONOR.
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Books by New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig
NEW STORY COMING:
DEVIL’S DEAL
Coming May 2121
THE SPARROW WEBS:
DANGEROUS WEB:
DUSK
Releasing Nov, 2020
DARK
Releasing January 2021
DAWN
Releasing February 2021
WEB OF DESIRE:
SPARK
Released Jan. 14, 2020
FLAME
Released February 25, 2020
ASHES
Released April 7, 2020
TANGLED WEB:
TWISTED
Released May, 2019
OBSESSED
Released July, 2019
BOUND
Released August, 2019
WEB OF SIN:
SECRETS
Released October, 2018
LIES
Released December, 2018
PROMISES
Released January, 2019
* * *
THE INFIDELITY SERIES:
BETRAYAL
Book #1
Released October 2015
CUNNING
Book #2
Released January 2016
DECEPTION
Book #3
Released May 2016
ENTRAPMENT
Book #4
Released September 2016
FIDELITY
Book #5
Released January 2017
* * *
THE CONSEQUENCES SERIES:
CONSEQUENCES
(Book #1)
Released August 2011
TRUTH
(Book #2)
Released October 2012
CONVICTED
(Book #3)
Released October 2013
REVEALED
(Book #4)
Previously titled: Behind His Eyes Convicted: The Missing Years
Re-released June 2014
BEYOND THE CONSEQUENCES
(Book #5)
Released January 2015
RIPPLES
Released October 2017
CONSEQUENCES COMPANION READS:
BEHIND HIS EYES-CONSEQUENCES
Released January 2014
BEHIND HIS EYES-TRUTH
Released March 2014
* * *
STAND ALONE MAFIA THRILLER:
PRICE OF HONOR
Available Now
* * *
THE LIGHT DUET:
Published through Thomas and Mercer Amazon exclusive
INTO THE LIGHT
Released June, 2016
AWAY FROM THE DARK
Released October, 2016
* * *
TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE SERIES:
INSIDIOUS
(All books in this series are stand-alone erotic thrillers)
Released October 2014
* * *
ALEATHA’S LIGHTER ONES:
PLUS ONE
Stand-alone fun, sexy romance
May 2017
ANOTHER ONE
Stand-alone fun, sexy romance
May 2018
ONE NIGHT
Stand-alone, sexy contemporary romance
September 2017
A SECRET ONE
April 2018
* * *
INDULGENCE SERIES:
UNEXPECTED
Released August, 2018
UNCONVENTIONAL
Released January, 2018
UNFORGETTABLE
Released October, 2019
UNDENIABLE
Released August, 2020
About the Author
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she's not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
Aleatha impresses with her versatility in writing. She released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES, a dark romance, became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Her first stand-alone smart, sexy thriller INSIDIOUS was next. Then Aleatha released the five-novel INFIDELITY series, a romantic suspense saga, that took the reading world by storm, the final book landing on three of the top bestseller lists. She ventured into traditional publishing with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016. In the spring of 2017, Aleatha again ventured into a different genre with her first fun and sexy stand-alone romantic comedy with the USA Today bestseller PLUS ONE. She continued with ONE NIGHT and ANOTHER ONE. If you like fun, sexy, novellas that make your heart pound, try her UNCONVENTIONAL and UNEXPECTED. In 2018 Aleatha returned to her dark romance roots with SPARROW WEBS.
Aleatha is a "Published Author's Network" member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and Dani Sanchez with Wildfire Marketing.
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