by Anthology
RECKLESS – A BAD BOYZ ANTHOLOGY
All rights reserved. Each title in this collection is copyrighted to their respective authors as noted. This collection is a work of fiction. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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All characters and events appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.
Lloyd - Andrea Smith & Eva Lenoir
Lucan - Kim Black
Dillon - Susan Ward
Wade - Scarlet Wolfe
Maverick - Kirsty-Ann Still
Holt - A.M. Wilson
Jamison - Lena Black
Troy - Xyla Turner
Cover Design and Formatting by TOJ Publishing Services.
E-book ISBN: 978-0-9963810-3-1
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9963810-4-8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright
Book Description
The Charity
Lloyd - Andrea Smith & Eva Lenoir
Lucan - Kim Black
Dillon - Susan Ward
Wade - Scarlet Wolfe
Maverick - Kirsty-Ann Still
Holt - A.M. Wilson
Jamison - Lena Black
Troy - Xyla Turner
About the Authors
BOOK DESCRIPTION
LLOYD - ANDREA SMITH & EVA LENOIR (M/M Romance)
My name is Lloyd Ledbetter and I am the best lawyer New York criminals can buy. My obsession to detail is their saving grace. I'm focused, determined and one-track minded. Nursing my broken heart for the last few months, I've stayed away from anything that could resemble a relationship.
Until Luke Gunner.
My name is Luke Gunner and I'm the best money launderer criminals can buy. With an IQ reaching the status of genius, I can practically make money without breaking a sweat. I'm fun, independent and a lover of life. Settling down was never a priority especially when I had so many options laid out in front of me.
Until Lloyd Ledbetter.
LUCAN - KIM BLACK
I am a FBI agent, working undercover within the Petrov Bratva, Russian mob.
Swarm too much and you were killed. Seem too eager and you were also killed. The Bratva only has use for the best of the best. You must be lethal, brutal and show no mercy.
For 5 years I've played the part of loyal servant. Never bringing awareness as to my true identity. I am careful.
But one woman could be the downfall to everything I have worked so hard to accomplish. Can I walk away from everything if it means saving her life?
DILLON - SUSAN WARD
I'm Dillon Warrick.
Ex-Special Forces. I have no memory of what went down on my last deployment, so when the opportunity came to resign my commission and sign up for a new gig I jumped on it.
Now I'm the personal bodyguard for the biggest celebrity on the globe and still living life on the edge.
I'm six feet two inches of blond-haired, blue-eyed Adonis, combat-fit body and fully loaded weapon.
My best friend, Graham, thinks I'm running too close to the edge and about to take a fall. And then there's Rachel, my former high school sweetheart turned fuck-buddy. As incredible as she is, I can't commit until I unravel the mystery of what happened on my final mission.
WADE - SCARLET WOLFE
On the surface, country boy Wade is a reckless partier and a player. The word relationship is not in his vocabulary. The feeling is mutual for Laney after being burned by a past relationship. The two meet at a bar, and there is something neither of them can shake about each other once Laney literally falls onto Wade's fit, handsome body.
Wade must repossess Laney's car, and she continues to be a thorn in his side as they set out on an adventure together. Can the two of them see past the surface and bring out the best in one another, or will Wade's bad habits send him back home alone?
MAVERICK - KIRSTY-ANNE STILL
Some will call me crazy, but it's simpler than that - when you love someone, walking away is the hardest thing to do.
I've done it - twice - and I refuse to walk away anymore.
I'm Zane Maverick and its third time's a charm where Amelia Abbiati is concerned.
This fight isn't one I'll lose.
HOLT - A.M. WILSON
My alias is Brixton Holt. Using my real name could get me killed. When the FBI needed a man undercover, I was the perfect candidate. Unattached and an all-around badass. Two years of infiltrating the largest sex trafficking ring in the country, I feel as dirty as the monsters I work for. That is, until she catches my eye. I call her Brandi. Her real name is no longer significant. She knows the rules. Nobody leaves unless it's in a box--a shipping crate or a coffin. My first mistake was following orders. The second? Falling in love.
JAMISON - LENA BLACK
I lived a simple life. I had my own apartment, a successful restaurant I ran with my sister, and my cat, Prue. I was ignorantly happy.
Until him...
I wasn't looking for anything beyond a place to hide the night I walked into Jamison's tattoo parlor.
By the time I'd left, he'd made an impression on my body...and my mind.
Jamison wasn't easy to get to know. He wouldn't let me get close enough to see who he really was. When he finally did, I was introduced to a world I'd only ever experienced in movies.
It wasn't the life he chose. It's the life he was born into. Leaving it behind meant there would be causalities...I never realized I'd be one.
TROY - XYLA TURNER
Savannah's life was on automatic as she still resided in the same sleepy town she grew up in with the same people and the same situations. Then she ran across Troy Bennet, the outsider, who didn't mess around with any of the townie women. Ever.
Until that fateful day, when she learned that her bedroom cravings were not foreign to the brooding man and he was willing to follow-through on his promise.
That was until Savannah found herself in the middle of a shoot-out, only to learn that the sexy Troy was a hired assassin.
THE CHARITY
ALL PROCEEDS TO BE DONATED TO:
The Hidradenitis Suppurativa Trust
www.hstrust.org/
Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin disease, which appears as a boil-like abscess in the apocrine gland-bearing areas, such as the armpits, breasts and groin. This recurrent inflammatory, and often painful disease is often overlooked, as not much is known of the actual cause.
The Hidradenitis Suppurativa Trust are the only UK charity dedicated to the raising of awareness, understanding and support for this chronic, debilitating skin disorder. We aim to increase public knowledge and educate the medical profession on the symptoms, treatments and severities of HS. All profits made by us go towards achieving our goals, which we hope will eventually include the development of a cure.
LLOYD
By: Andrea Smith & Eva LeNoir
Genre: M/M
Chapter 1
"SIR, YOUR ERM, nine o'clock appointment is here."
Looking down at my Rolex Cellini with
its elegant leather strap hugging my wrist like a second skin, I felt my brow tighten and my eyes narrow. Mind you, the frown on my face was not aimed at my favorite watch but rather at the time it announced. Clearly, nine fifteen did not equal nine o'clock. There was a quarter hour difference between one and the other and I did not have time for tardiness in my life.
"Erin, please tell my nine o'clock to reschedule. Thank you." Making it a point to stress the word "nine," knowing full well that the client waiting was privy to the intercom conversation, I returned my attention to the computer screen, meticulously planning out the week. As an associate lawyer in one of the prime law firms nestled in the middle of Manhattan’s financial district, I should not have been turning away my potential clients. In fact, that type of blatant disregard for billable hours was cause enough for getting my ass kicked right out onto the New York sidewalk, doing my own rendition of the walk of shame. So, you ask, why would I put my career on the line for a mere fifteen minutes? Respect. It's as simple as that.
As a criminal attorney, I defended those who were unable to get representation elsewhere. The unable aspect had nothing to do with their financial means, quite the opposite, really. When they came to me, they had most likely seen every other criminal lawyer within the five boroughs and had either been screwed over or been told that the case was open-shut and not in their favor. My fellow bar colleagues were too skittish when it came to losing a potentially media-frenzy type case. I, on the other hand, thrived upon them. My mouth would salivate at the thought of sinking my teeth into a case that could blow up in my face. I lived for the challenge of finding that one little detail that everyone missed and then flashing my million-dollar smile at the cameras that said, "You have witnessed greatness."
So, yes, the partners at Grant, Mills & Spencer gave me the freedom to do as I pleased when it came to my desperate clients. Desperate and filthy rich, might I add. Billable hours were a given when it came to their cases because my talents were undeniable and my results spoke for themselves. Eighty-four cases in my seven years with the firm. Eighty wins, three pending and one loss. I know, I know. Not a perfect record but my first case was trial and error and since the man was actually as guilty as they came, I refused to even count that blotch on my pristine record. Did it bother me that I lost a case? Of course, it did. I was too much of a perfectionist to ignore the one and only failure of my career however, being the glass half-full kind of man, I used it to my benefit. That one loss was my ultimate driving force to make sure I did not make the same error twice.
As I moved around the schedule, accommodating the time frames to fit the meeting times more accurately, my head snapped at the sound of a door crashing into the wall.
What the hell?
"Hey! You can't go in there!" Erin, my trustworthy assistant for the last seven years, was practically jumping on the client's back trying to get him out of the doorway. It was a lost cause seeing as the man was easily twice her size in height and in width. As feisty as she was, the poor woman was barely five feet with heels and in need of a nice juicy cheeseburger to put some curves on her. Erin ate enough for us all but her metabolism was off the charts, which made her a great asset in the workspace. Aside from typing up my reports, my assistant was always running around doing something useful. This was why I made sure she was paid very well. More than most, in fact, to ensure she stayed with me.
"It's okay, Erin. Thank you." I said, watching her scowl from behind the mammoth of a man. I stifled a laugh when I noticed the top of her auburn head barely reached his shoulder. That did not stop her flipping him the bird, from the safety of his back.
Standing in place of my closed glass doors was a huge man taking up all of the open space under the doorframe. My eyes traveled from his chest, which was perfectly eye-level and hidden by the black long-sleeved cotton shirt, to his biceps and down to his fists. With his forearms exposed by the rolled up sleeves, the straining muscles were impossible to ignore as was the predominant ink that adorned them. A hundred scenarios ran through my dirty mind as my eyes continued their leisurely stroll down Adonis Avenue. Perfectly fitted jeans that encased strong thighs and, oh my…that crotch area was interesting. And big. Unconsciously licking my lips as I finished my perusal, I was brought back to reality as my gaze landed on the dirty shit-kickers dangerously close to staining my immaculate flooring. I didn't think the term was supposed to be taken literally. I mean, the boots weren't really used for kicking shit, were they? Obviously, my nine o'clock would-have-been appointment had not received that memo.
"Ever hear of the expression, 'The customer is always right?'" Despite my repulsion to the disgusting footwear, my cock twitched at the sound of the deep, calm voice that made its way to my ears. Looking up, I met his hard glare and almost lost my breath at the penetrating blue eyes that pierced me like a steel sword. The man's chiseled jaw, the strong features of his angled face and the slightly broken nose that matched his blue collar demeanor set my body on high alert. In my seven years as a New York attorney I had never slept with a client, nor had I wanted to do so. I would not be starting now.
Larson Blackburn, my ex-whateverhewas, did not count.
"I have heard that expression, Mr...?" I knew exactly who this man was. I had already started researching his files so I could get a feel on why exactly the man needed my services. "Guns," aka Luke Gunner, had a record as long as my cock. Trust me, it was quite impressive. How none of them had ever actually led to a conviction was somehow beyond me. Probably a good lawyer. Which begged the question...why had he not sought out his former representation?
With a click of my index finger on the ultra modern cordless mouse, his file sprang to life on my screen. I was curious when I first started going through his information but seeing the man face-to-face had me more than a little intrigued. Going against all of my self-imposed rules of never backing down to anyone when it came to my work, I sighed and turned my attention back to the thug who, to my surprise, had settled himself inside and was now comfortably sitting on the large wingback chair facing my desk. I didn't bother to stand and shake his hand. That would have made me look like a used car salesman foaming at the mouth for the chance to work the case. Dream on, biker boy.
"Gunner. But you already knew that." Blue eyes stared me down but not enough to make me uncomfortable.
"Right. Well, I have a strict rule, Mr. Gunner. An appointment is at an agreed upon hour. I do allow for the occasional surprise of New York traffic but then that's what planning ahead is for. You are fifteen minutes late," I looked back down at my left wrist and arched a brow at Mr. Gunner. "Twenty-one minutes past the hour as of now, which means we only have twenty-four minutes left of this meeting before I have to prep for my ten o'clock. It's not nearly enough time to get through this Declaration of Criminality that you call your file." Yeah, I was that good.
My smug grin faltered and my eyes narrowed when I heard the bellow of laughter coming from my soon-to-be ex-client that never was.
"Jesus. Do you have your entire life planned out to the second?" Was that even a legitimate question?
"That's none of your business and frankly you should be glad that I'm anal, it's a talent that will get you off whatever charges are looming above your head." Take that, you two-bit criminal.
The man leaned over my desk, his face a mask of determination, his eyes making me blink in confusion at their intensity. The deliberate licking his lips had my gaze immediately fall to the motion and my cock doing a happy dance at the prospect of sliding between the plump, wet flesh.
"Oh, I'm glad you're anal, Mr. Ledbetter. It's quickly become my favorite quality of yours. As for getting me off? I have no doubt your talents will come in very handy." My hand instinctively covered my crotch to adjust my growing hard-on because, clearly, we were not talking about legal representation anymore. At least, I didn't think we were. My brain was a bit in shock from the realization that this six-feet and some brick house was potentially a top batting for my team and that he
had just blatantly made a pass at me. At least, that was what my libido had decided. Yeah, I was pretty sure that was all sexual talk. While trying to reassess the situation to make sure I did not make an ass of myself, I saw the wink and the curl of his lip into a smirk I wanted to punch into next week. The punk was playing with me.
"Now that it's settled, I'll just go out there and make another appointment with your secretary. I'll make sure to clear two to three hours of your schedule. You know...so we can catch up."
With those words, he pushed off the desk, his arms again flexing in that delicious way, muscles on clear display and walked out the door. Before he was completely outside, he turned to me with a cocky grin that made me clench my ass and said, "I'll be in touch, Mr. Ledbetter. And on time. Especially now that I know just how anal you are."
As soon as the door closed behind the man's retreating back, I leaned into the leather high back office chair and ran my almost trembling hands through my sun kissed blond hair. I didn't like the term "dirty blond," for obvious reasons. Cleanliness was a way of life, a purification from the outside in washing away the dirt that accumulated all around me. My clients were surrounded in filth -- unlaundered money, defiled women, murky water rising around them on the verge of swallowing them whole. But then, we would step in. The saviors of the unsavory, the ones who bleached the slate so clean it was almost impossible to find a speck of dust. I was surrounded by pollution and it had nothing to do with power plants or diesel trucks.
My social life was barely subsisting, a passing thrill between clients and trial dates. My love life? I had expunged that part of my existence six months prior. The last time I saw the man that made every cell of my body fire up like a fuel-drenched pile of dry wood, I had been forced to say my goodbyes. I wasn't missing any type of closure since we had made things clear. But I missed him. I still longed for the pleasures only he knew how to bring out. The craving for his touch, rough and dominant, was constantly on mind.
