Bad Boys and Billionaires:
The Naughty List Romance Bundles
~ Volume One ~
©2014 The Naughty List, Respective Authors
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, or events are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to persons, alive or dead, is completely coincidental. All work is copyright of its respective authors and is used with permission. Please do not reproduce illegally.
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~ Table of Contents ~
Amy’s Bear (The Werebear Shifters)
By Aurora Reid
The Alpha’s Kiss: Change for Me
By Lynn Red
I Married a Billionaire
By Melanie Marchande
The Last Lord of the Moors
By Isabella Brooke
Lost in Blue
By Synthia St. Claire
Amy’s Bear (The Werebear Shifters)
© 2014 Aurora Reid
They found him. Dom ran for a week, driving most of the days with little sleep, and still, they found him. He thought he might be paranoid at first, so he kept walking, pushing past all of the country folk enjoying the fair and heading toward the amusement rides. When he got to the ferris wheel, he didn’t need to turn around to sense that the two following him were at his heels.
He could smell them.
That was what gave Dom the edge, his extra senses. These guys trailing him were professionals. If he didn’t have his powers, he probably wouldn’t have gotten far, but those powers made him cautious. Right now, he wondered, would there be a drone above him trying to snap a picture? Maybe it would follow him out of the parking lot and then send a missile his way, but probably not, they needed him alive.
Dom was valuable.
He wasn’t sure what he was, but he knew he was important. If someone got their hands on the ability to control his shapeshifting, he was sure they would make billions. Dom wasn’t positive if it was a company on his heels or if it was the government, but these men meant business.
Dom knew the type. He used to be one, and he had good reason to believe that these men were sent by someone from his past. While stationed as an operative in Kabul, something bad went down. That’s when this all started. There was a good number of people, all powerful enough to hunt him, who saw his first shift.
Hungry, always so hungry, Dom hurried to the long line waiting for funnel cake. He skipped it all, snatched the funnel cake off the first person in line, tore into it, and then ran.
“Hey,” screamed someone in line behind him, but he was already gone, rushing through the crowd, immersing himself in it. His stalkers were on his trail, and sadly, the funnel cake hadn’t curbed his hunger much.
Dom tested his keen sense of smell and could tell there were more people hanging around his car than before. Going back to his old vehicle wouldn’t be an option. They would already have it staked out. He raced toward the opposite end of the carnival, making the men shove their way through locals.
“You’re drunk, Tom,” a woman said ahead.
“Don’t tell me what I am,” the man shouted. It sounded serious. The scents he picked up of the woman were alluring. They drove him wild, kicking him into overdrive. If he had time, he would stop and get a better whiff, but he didn’t have time.
He broke through the crowd to see the couple struggling.
The girl was right. Tom was wasted. He clung onto her arm as she reeled back. She flinched, and Dom could smell her fear. That fear was nothing new for her. This man had done this to her before, and more. He’d struck her. Dom snarled, unable to control his rage and his need to protect such a lovely prize.
Before Tom could spin around, Dom decked him square in the jaw. Out cold, he dropped to the dirt. And why shouldn’t he have done that? He was already a wanted man. Why not live it up a little, and do a little good at the same time?
The girl screamed. Dom took her by the hand and ran with her.
“Why?” she yelled. Wasn’t it obvious? Dom needed her, and she needed Dom. He had just done her a favor, so she was going to do one for him.
He pulled her with him to the parking lot.
“Where’s your car?”
“No,” she said and yanked back.
He gave her a wild glare. She understood.
She handed him the keys.
Amy clutched the seat, staring straight ahead as the car shook. She didn’t know if her car could take the speed. The man next to her, who told her his name was Dom, didn’t look as worried as her, not even close. He looked like former military. Maybe he snapped? If he was former military, that was even worse for her. He would know what he was doing.
He turned onto the highway, bringing his speed down.
“There. We’re done, at least for now.”
“What the fuck is going on?”
“Calm down, it’s nothing serious. I’m being trailed, but we lost them.”
“Sure, I’ll calm down. This is a kidnapping. Do you realize that?”
How could he act like she didn’t deserve to freak out? This guy had to be on something, or crazy. She couldn’t decide which.
“I don’t know about that. I did save you from that asshole back there. You owed me.”
“I didn’t ask you to do that. That was my boyfriend.”
Dom scoffed. He shook his head.
“He hit you before,” he said.
Amy looked away. It was true. It seemed like Dom wasn’t just guessing, which was what stopped her from saying, “bullshit.” It seemed like he really knew, really understood what she was going through, but that was crazy. He was a stranger. There was no way for him to know that. Unless it was that obvious to everyone else? She didn’t think so. Her sister, when she told her about Tom getting physical, didn’t believe her at first.
When Dom brought that up, she flinched and thought about the blinding pain from Tom’s fists. Sometimes, it wasn’t the physical pain that hurt the most. Sometimes it was the feeling of betrayal, that someone she trusted could do that to her. Tom was a good man, at least in the beginning, now, not so much, but every time she still held on.
Amy didn’t have much else. She was just drifting in a turbulent sea. Sometimes she thought she would get out of it, sometimes she had the energy to paddle towards a glint in the clouds that might be peaceful waters, but lately she’d been making excuses for Tom.
The fair was supposed to be her exit.
The reason why Tom was so angry was because she was breaking up with him, but now, things were left open. Dom might’ve saved her from a fist, but he hadn’t saved her from Tom, not yet. She hoped he didn’t think he so.
It might be better to learn more about Dom. The more Amy figured out about him, the better off she would be. She needed to formulate a plan.
“Who are you really? Why are you being chased?”
“I don’t know why they’re chasing me.” He looked disgusted. “Your boyfriend is an asshole. Sorry.”
“I know,” she said, and she looked away when the tears came. They hid for a long time. Being away from Tom, they all wanted to break free, but she felt too scared and amped at the moment to linger on him.
Her cell phone rang.
“That’s the asshole now,” she said.
Dom gave her another nod. He didn’t look so disgusted now.
Her eyes roamed over his figure, wide and tall in the tiny car. His arms were massive, the rest of his body muscular, and he had a handsome face. He was clean cut, well groomed, everything that Tom wasn’t. He had come close, one time to looking that good, until he started losing it, then everything went downhill, even his physique.
She felt right about her guess of former military, but now she questioned if he snapped. Dom looked like he had it all together. At least, he kept himself well groomed and shaved.
“Hello,” she said. She gave Dom another look. He gripped the wheel tight. It made her bite her lip and think about Dom punching Tom out. Boy, did he deserve it. She was getting even more amped about it, her blood pumping.
“Where did you go? Who was that?” Tom screamed on the other end.
“I really don’t know him.”
“Where are you? You sleeping behind my back with someone? If you are, I swear to God.”
She knew what would be waiting for her even if she told the truth. It was time to end it. Being away from him, driving so far away and out of his controlling grasp put some perspective on things. Being in a public place didn’t save her from his aggression. Nothing would.
“I would never cheat on you.”
There was silence.
“I’m breaking up with you. Stay out of my life.”
“What?”
“You heard me, Tom. It’s over. Don’t call me again. You know you deserve this.”
She hung up the phone. Trembling, she hadn’t noticed until she put her phone away and it shook in her palms. She leaned back in the car and let out a deep breath. Amy was in shock, she knew that. When would it all break over her? When would the fear and the uneasiness come rushing in?
Amy had no idea where she was headed in life now. She put a lot of faith into their relationship. Now that it was over, she didn’t even have any prospects. She sighed and kicked back in the car, too numb and hollow to shed tears.
“I could use a bite to eat,” Dom said. “You hungry?”
“Seriously? Not particularly at this moment.”
He’s definitely crazy.
“Well, I am. We’re picking up something to eat.”
“You can take me back now.”
He laughed.
“Nope, no, I can’t do that. That’s one thing I can’t do. They know your car now. They probably got a good look at you. You need to hide out with me for awhile. I promise I’ll return you, but not yet.”
“Great, so I’m a fugitive too? Just what did you do? Kill someone?”
“Nothing like that. I’ll tell you later, maybe. You’ve got to trust me though. Staying with me is the best thing going for you right now.”
She couldn’t argue with that.
“Don’t you think we should keep driving? What if they’re still on our tail?”
“I’m hungry. We’re eating,” he said, and then he pointed to a sign up ahead for a diner.
He wasn’t kidding when he said he was hungry.
Dom ate like an animal, scarfing down plates of pancakes.
“You don’t think I’m drawing attention to myself, do you?” he asked, already on his fourth plate of pancakes.
“No, not at all. You’re about to get your name on the wall and a picture in the local paper. What’s up with you?”
She watched as he ate another tower of pancakes. They were nothing to him. He ate like a bear. Strange, she had been thinking about how much he resembled one the entire time. The waitress kept coming over and filling his plates.
“All right, you look bored. I guess we can go,” he said.
When the waitress came back, he ordered another ten to go.
“You’ll be hungry later,” he said.
Amy shrugged. Just how long did he expect to keep her?
After they left, Dom parked at a liquor store nearby. He checked his pockets for any change and managed to pull out a twenty.
“Don’t tell me we’re getting liquor now?”
“I’ve never heard a girl complain so much. Do you want to have fun or not?”
“I see you’re trying to make my kidnapping as enjoyable as possible. I really don’t understand why you can’t take me back. I mean, this is nice and all, and you actually seem like an OK guy, but it’s creeping me out that you won’t let me leave.”
Dom kicked open the driver side door. He rubbed his chin, about to say something. She expected nothing nice, but then he stopped himself. Another moment to think, he responded and swung his boot back into the car.
“I’ve had a hell of a month. I didn’t really want to get into it with you, the less you know the better, but since you won’t get off my back about it, I guess I have to. These guys, they broke into my god damned house, came storming in with rifles and a fucking tank. No, not like the World War Two kind, but the modern kind, a fucking battering ram that crashed right through my wall. I was chilling out in my backyard, but knew something was up and got out in time. I’ve hauled my ass across five states with helicopters on my back while assuming everyone I meet wants to put a bullet in my head. So yeah, I’m a little concerned about you right now, and maybe we should just buy the liquor.”
Amy waved frantically. “All right, jeez. Are you hungry again? You seem cranky.”
He gave her a glare.
“Sorry, but that’s the truth. Hang out with me for a couple days. I promise it won’t be that bad. Maybe even relax a little. What else do you have to do?”
Amy wished she had a good response to that.
Then she remembered work. She didn’t have much to do in her free time, but she needed her job. Amy was always strapped for cash. Tom didn’t do much for her. He was unemployed for over a year. When he lost his job, things got a lot worse, and she had to pick up more hours. Things got awfully tight, and she didn’t have a family she could run back to.
“I have to work, you know.”
“You got any days off you can pull? Might be a good time to use them.”
“Tom and I were going to go on a cruise. At least, we planned on it. Looks like that’s not happening though, so yeah, I guess this will do.”
Probably wasn’t going to happen anyway, not with Tom. He would spend all our vacation money on booze, and probably strippers. I always assumed strippers were involved somehow. He went through a lot of money, but I never caught him. He wouldn’t stay out too late at night, so my best bet would be a couple strippers, but a whole lot of booze and gambling.
She held out her hand for the twenty.
“What’ll it be?”
“Whatever you want. Just don’t use credit. You’re off the grid now, and grab some matches.”
“Pretty much was before, anyway.”
Amy got out of the car. When she did, she caught Dom checking her out.
Interesting. I haven’t noticed anyone checking me out like that in a long time. Maybe I haven’t cared until now. Having such a fine specimen of the quintessential alpha male checking her out gave her one hell of a self esteem boost.
His eyes roamed over her curves. When she walked to the liquor store, she knew his eyes would follow her, gazing at her ass swaying in her tight jeans.
There was still a lot about Dom she didn’t understand though. She wasn’t quite sure she believed his whole story.
“Hey, why haven’t you been caught yet? If they’ve got all this equipment and men coming after you, how’d you escape?”
He grinned. “Don’t worry about that.”
“Maybe you’ll tell me after a couple of drinks. Is that what it’s going to take?”
Anyone else telling her that, and she might’ve not believed them, but she did see men trailing them at the carnival. Someone was after Dom. Whether that was because he was wanted for something or not, she wasn’t a hundred percent certain.
“Guess I can tell you that I used to be CIA. Picked up a couple tricks in that life. Didn’t think I wo
uld have to use them again.”
She squinted at him to try to force his hand, but she couldn’t get a read.
Fine, I’m getting the liquor. You really need to loosen up, Dom, and start telling me the truth.
In the meantime, watch my behind as I walk to the store. That’ll help you out.
Amy turned to check if he was checking her out. He jerked towards the window to try to hide what he was doing.
Gotcha, she chuckled to herself and then went inside to buy a bottle of whisky. Maybe having a drink would be a good idea. Amy needed to unwind herself.
She understood why Dom told her she would be hungry when they parked on the side of a country road. The road was deserted, surrounded by woods on every side. Dom said there was a forest reserve close by where they could conceal themselves, but she expected some sort of guest building or at the very least, a parking lot.
“We’re going in there?” Amy asked.
“Yeah, hope the woods don’t scare you. We need to hide out.”
“They don’t scare me. It’s just - I didn’t plan on a camping trip.”
“You’ll be fine,” he said, holding out his hand and helping her onto higher ground. “Come on, let’s go.”
They made camp a couple of miles in. Dom helped her over the rocks and the fallen branches. Traveling through the woods got them touching, getting closer. Amy was beginning to think differently about her little trip. At first, she refused help climbing over the rocks and whenever the ground got steep, but then it got difficult to say no. A couple times, brushing against him, she thought about clutching against him tighter.
She really wanted to be close to a man, which wasn’t a good sign since she didn’t know if she could trust Dom. Amy reigned in her neediness.
They hit level ground covered with dirt and short grass. At least Amy would get a workout from this.
Bad Boys and Billionaires (The Naughty List Bundles) Page 1
