Dangerous Love

by Casey Clipper

  DANGEROUS LOVE

  The Right of Casey Clipper to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her.

  ~

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights.

  ~

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictionally, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ~

  First Published 2015

  Copyright © Casey Clipper 2015

  ~

  Published by

  Independent Publisher

  www.CaseyClipper.com

  Cover by Joanna Chlasta

  What some are saying about The Love Series:

  "I can’t believe how smoothly the words flow throughout this book. I loved all the characters. I noticed all the characters have a story to tell and I can’t wait to find out what those stories are. It seems all the secondary characters were just as important to the story as the main characters. I loved that. This story is also fast paced but you’re not left wondering what’s going on. I really liked watching Ryan "grow up" and become the father he should have started out to be. I absolutely fell in love with Lynn. She is not afraid to put any man in his place and she is smart and very witty. What a perfect female character to the playboy manwhore that Ryan is. I will definitely be reading more from Casey Clipper. I highly recommend this book."

  ~Books and Beyond Fifty Shades Book Reviews

  I have been a big fan of Casey Clipper since I read “The Boss’s Love” at that time I thought Darren was my book boyfriend…boy was I wrong. Enter Sean Millen, former Navy SEAL and current book boyfriend. This story takes you on an incredible journey and you fall in love with Sean and Beth and want them to succeed in love. Get your finger ready to one click on this amazing story.I can’t wait to see what Casey will do next!

  ~The Book Gurus

  An intense book for me! Exactly what I needed right now. Had to stop reading few times not because I didn't like it, because my emotions were overflowing and it seems I was engrossed in the book that I missed my bus stop again. So if it made me do that this book was a blast! She created characters which are realistic and believable. A romance which is sweet, sexy and intense. And Ryan <3 Love this!

  ~Fallen For Books

  Silent love was a wonderful book! I love Sean, he's all alpha male but also thoughtful and loving. Beth while she may have been a little insecure was strong, brave, and a beautiful character. I can't wait to read more from Casey Clipper!

  ~Just One More Page

  Sean and Beth's love story is amazing. I loved every minute of this book. Upon finishing it, I immediately wanted more. Casey has a way of bringing her characters to life, you fall in love with them. You gobble the book up and hope that their story continues. Amazing read.

  ~The Three Bookateers

  To all my loyal readers, fans, and followers,

  I can’t thank you enough for your support, kind words, and

  for loving these characters as much as I do.

  Every word, every cover, every ounce of work is humbly dedicated

  to each and every one of you.

  Thank you!

  DANGEROUS LOVE

  (The Love Series)

  Book 3

  CASEY CLIPPER

  1

  Mackenzie was gonna lose her shit. Absolutely lose it. On her ex. Husband. The dirtbag. Scumbag. Asshole.

  Bad enough she literally caught the jackass with his pants around his ankles, balls-deep in their neighbor, but somehow he managed to walk away with everything.

  Stepping out of the courthouse, the bright noontime sun mocked her. She was officially homeless. With nothing. Zero. Not a dime to her name. No car, no house, not even the cat. He took the goddamn cat. Okay, she hated that feline, but still…the cat?

  Numb with a headache about to take residence, she lumbered over to the bench in the courtyard and slumped down. If she could curl into herself on that piece of uncomfortable metal she would. What was she going to do? Her bartending job brought in great money but starting over from scratch? How had she allowed herself to be led down this abysmal path?

  Her wayward thoughts were interrupted by the shrill ring of her cell. As of late, when her phone rang it was never good. “Hello?”

  “Hey, how’d it go?” her girlfriend Kayla asked.

  “He got it all,” she said, choking on the words.

  “Fucking…fuck…fuckwad, fucking-tard.” Mouth like a truck driver didn’t come close to describing Kayla's colorful vocabulary. “Do you need someplace to stay?”

  “Yeah,” she shamefully answered.

  “Don’t worry about it, Mackenz. You stay with me as long as you need to,” Kayla insisted.

  “Thank you,” she said, about to breakdown for the first time since she found her husband…

  “I hate to ask this right now, I feel like a jerk, but I need someone to work for me tonight. I have to go to my parents. Something about my grandma insisting on a family dinner. Whatever,” Kayla moaned. “I swear, M, these damn relatives of mine.”

  Mackenzie wished she had Kayla’s family issues. Wealthy beyond comprehension, politically connected in every way possible, inherited great looks, and every single one of those throng of people were smart as hell. Including Kayla, who didn't need to work but got the bartending job to irk her parents.

  “Sure. Clearly, I need the money,” she mumbled.

  “Thanks, M,” Kayla said, her sympathetic tone adding to Mackenzie's embarrassment. “I’ll leave the key under the mat. Come over and get situated before work. I have to leave now or I’ll never make it on time. You know how Daddy gets if I’m late,” she griped.

  Thank goodness for Kayla. She may be twenty-three, but the girl had a great head on her shoulders and for some reason took a liking to Mackenzie, who was ten years her senior. Currently that gap felt like fifty plus years.

  “I’ll talk to you after work,” Mackenzie said.

  “Okay.” Kayla disconnected the call and spared her a more humiliating inquiry.

  Heaving herself off the bench, Mackenzie glanced around for the bus stop sign. Today was the first day she’d ever utilize public transportation. Joy. He took the fucking car, too. Asshat.

  ***

  Dressed in low-rise spandex, what she referred to as dance shorts, and her top, and she used that term loosely‒it resembled more like a bedazzled black silk bra‒Mackenzie stashed her change of clothes into her assigned locker. Seated on the bench in the employee changing room, she slid her snug knee-high, stiletto boots over her black panty hose. If she worked anywhere else, she'd be referred to as an exotic dancer. At House of Cards she was considered an elite bartender. Complete with a false profile on the bar website. Her size C's practically pushed up to her neck, long, auburn hair cascaded down her bare back, she had quickly become a patron fave. Apparently, men love splashes of freckles across a woman's chest and shoulders. Well, every man except her dickhead ex-husband.

  Once booted, Mackenzie stood, took one final glance in the mirror and headed to the bar for the six p.m. to two in the morning shift. Really, she didn't mind the hours. Working in the evenings kept her from crying into a depression over how idiotic she felt. How had she ignored the obvious signs?

  At Cards, each of the three different bars was spacious and usually three to four girls worked at a time. Weekends, six bartenders graced the floor. Each part of the bar was sectioned off so customers weren't passed over. Since it w
as a Tuesday−the slowest night of the week−only three bartenders worked.

  Time to earn the Benjamins.

  Punched in and about to step behind the main bar, a firm hand grasped her bicep and spun her.

  "Mackenzie, there's a couple jackasses seated at the other end of the bar and they lit up. I told them to put out their cigarettes but they refuse. The big brutish one laughed at me. I need you to handle it. Security knows them and won't do a thing about it," Jennie, the token blonde, tan bartender spat.

  "Why do you think they'll listen to me?"

  "Oh, honey," Jennie said, smiled, then patronizingly patted her shoulder. "Because you're so sweet. The boys are afraid of disappointing you." She turned and stalked back behind the bar, clearly pissed off.

  Gah! She hated her apparent innocence. If she could turn into a bad girl overnight she would do it in a heartbeat. Maybe if she'd had more backbone then her asshole husband wouldn't have cheated. Or at least been afraid to put his dick in another woman besides his wife. Okay, hanging out with Kayla too much.

  Great, now she was suddenly the in-house health department? Stupid men.

  2

  Already irritated from the shitty day he had, Derk Forester almost became irate when that skinny blonde bitch gave him attitude about his smokes. He gifted her with a cloud of his exhale upon her nagging, which caused her to storm off in a tizzy. At least that briefly entertained him.

  Smith sat next to him, silent as usual, drinking his longneck. Derk wanted something stronger but unfortunately he had driven. Not only that, whiskey−his liquor of choice−usually turned him violent. He tried to avoid the shit when possible. Last JD night he’d had, three idiots ended up with slugs in their kneecaps.

  For a Tuesday night Cards seemed pretty damn busy. No empty stools at the bar, and the crowd that waited for drinks was about two deep. He scanned the room, annoyed with the gathering that interrupted his potential cool down time.

  "Is there something going on tonight?" Derk asked Smith.

  His partner-in-crime's only response was a shoulder shrug. Man, even Smith grated on his last nerve.

  Suddenly, roars of approval, along with cheers and cat-calls, ricocheted off every glass surface. Stepping behind the bar, a luscious little piece of ginger ass glided their direction. Along the way, she fluidly picked up empty beer bottles and without a backward glance, tossed them behind her into conveniently placed trashcans.

  Cool.

  A couple marriage proposals, requests to expose her breasts, and some lewd tongue gestures greeted her as she made her way toward them.

  Derk's eyes remained transfixed on her. Innocence oozed out of her every pore. No wonder all these men loved her. Nothing like a doe-eyed innocent creature to stir the big bad wolf in a man. Gawd, he loved the type. Well, he loved to break them in.

  And there she was, standing smack dab in front of him. Enormous sapphire blue eyes with too much fucking eyeliner gazed at him. Without a word, she slowly slid an ashtray in front of him.

  "Please," she said softly. Her angelic voice went straight to his dick.

  He cocked an eyebrow.

  Leaning onto her forearms, settling on the bar, she toyed with the clean tray. "You see, if you smoke then others will see you and copy. Soon we're violating state law, get reported by some douche, and get fined. The owner cuts back on staff, I lose my job, and I can't afford to lose my job right now." She batted her eyelashes.

  She wished it was that easy. He mimicked her posture, ending up inches away from her perfect features. He laid his lit cigarette on the edge of the ashtray.

  Plump, moist lips shined with lip-gloss taunted him. The urge to plunge into that mouth fought with his rational thought process to remain hands off.

  Fuck it.

  Quick like a cheetah, Derk grabbed her around the neck, yanked her to him and devoured her mouth. Mint and vanilla assaulted him. For a brief moment she was too shocked to fight before she tried to push away, but his firm strength held her in place. Swiping his tongue, he forced her to open up for him. At first she resisted and shoved against his chest with a moan for him to release her. But he wanted a taste and refused to release until he received his bite.

  He reached up with his other hand and cupped her cheek, running his thumb back and forth.

  So soft.

  She tried to dislodge herself again, but she may as well have been resisting a brick wall. Finally she relented and opened for him. Score.

  Plunging deeper, covering every corner of her ripe, hot mouth, he took what he wanted and loved it. Her lack of confidence in the way her silky tongue danced with his drove him insane. His hard length felt like it could punch through his jeans. This girl could make any man crazy.

  He pulled away, leaving her breathless and him needing an unplanned release. He ashed the cigarette. A snort from Smith was his buddy's only reaction.

  "Cookie, you need me to bounce him?" one of the security idiots asked, appearing beside him.

  Yeah, at Cards the only thing that could possible get him kicked out was pawing one of their sexy bartenders. The manager owed Derk a couple grand and he hadn't collected. Yet. Anything else he did they let him be. Whether it was bang a chic outside the restroom, beat the hell out of a guy for stepping on his boot, or walk out without settling the bill. Cards was that kind of bar with that kind of reputation, which was right up his alley.

  "No," she said. Her face turned beet red, as if she was suddenly aware they had an audience that consisted of mostly men.

  Too beautiful.

  Really, she wasn't his type. Normally he didn't go for redheads, but her awesome hair color hair contrasted perfectly with her fair skin. Freckles he didn't usually find attractive, but on her they worked. In fact, she had a Grecian goddess type look to her.

  Huh?

  "Baby," he cooed.

  She snorted and rolled those awesome peepers. "Keep wishing, big guy."

  Big guy? Big guy. He tested...and liked it.

  She had the audacity to turn away and serve drinks to other men, who demanded their own show of affection.

  Well shit, he wouldn't appreciate witnessing that. He picked up his beer, downed the rest, and slammed the empty bottle on the wood bar.

  "Let's go," he barked to Smith.

  Tossing down a twenty, Derk sauntered out of the raunchy bar. He didn't need or have time for games with a saucy bartender. Pulling out his cell, he dialed reliable Claire to suck him off and get rid of his hard-on. He'd insist that she run out and buy a red wig.

  3

  For the rest of her shift Mackenzie found it hard to concentrate. Damn that biker-type-god. All night she felt hot, flushed, unable to cool down. That searing kiss had done her in. She fumbled with beer and liquor bottles, dropped change, and bumped into her coworkers. He’d managed to totally throw her off, much to the delight of Jennie, who spent the night with a knowing grin plastered on her face.

  “Did you get his number?” Jennie asked while they counted the register drawers.

  “Whose?” She tried to play clueless.

  Jennie snickered. “Cut the shit, Mackenz. That guy was super hot. Douche, but hot. And he was all over you. Did you get his number after he slid his tongue down your throat?”

  “No, Jennie. I’m not that kind of girl,” she responded, offended.

  Jennie arched a perfectly penciled in brow. “What kind? The kind that caves to what her body tells her it wants? By the looks of it, your tiny little package wanted the big bad wolf.”

  How did she manage to make a children’s fairy tale sound...dirty?

  Ignoring her obnoxious coworker, Mackenzie continued to rapidly count the bar's earnings. Glancing up at the clock, if she didn’t leave the place within five minutes she’d miss the last bus and be forced to walk home. It wasn’t that far, only a couple of miles, but, at three in the morning, that wasn't exactly wise.

  “Damn it!” she yelled and slammed down her hand. Because she was in such a rush, her drawer kept
coming up with different totals each time she added.

  “What is your issue?” Jennie asked.

  “I need to get out of here or else I’ll miss the bus,” she answered, starting her count over, again.

  “I thought you had a car?”

  “Asshole got it in the divorce,” she mumbled.

  “Oh, honey.” Jennie approached and placed a rare, supportive hand on her shoulder. “Let me help. I’d offer to take you home but I didn’t drive. Max is picking me up on his bike.”

  “That’s okay. I wouldn’t want to put anyone out. I have to figure this out on my own,” she said, trying to keep herself together and not fall to the ‘oh woe-is-me’ cycle. Who had time for that?

  “Oh, shut up,” Jennie said exasperated.

  Yeah, no one was more frustrated than Mackenzie at that moment.

  ***

  Glancing down at her cell phone for the tenth time. Odds were great she missed her transportation home. Sighing heavily, she stood from the bench and proceeded down the deserted street. Close to three-thirty in the morning, and she had to pound pavement to get home. Lovely.

  A cool breeze whipped around her, sending a chill down her spine. She tugged her lightweight fleece closer. Luckily, she kept her street clothes in her locker so she could change after work. She kept her “stripper outfit” at the job. That thing never left the bar on her body.

  Two blocks down, she started to find a rhythm. Street lights lined the closed business district of the small suburban town. Darkened storefront windows gave the surroundings an ominous look. To be honest, having this kind of late-night solitude was somewhat invigorating and salacious. To see the world still and silent some might call enchanting.

  Six blocks down and her rapid pace would get her home quickly. Good thing she was in decent shape. Well, for her. She made a mental note to start a walking program. Maybe lose the hips. Unlike stick-thin, can-see-their-ribs Jennie and Kayla, Mackenzie considered herself thin but could lose ten pounds, then maybe she'd be comparable to those two young women.