The Bad Boy In Cuffs (Dangerous Desire #3)
Author: Lexxie Couper
Excerpt
"Where did you learn to cook like this, Fluffy?" Lucas asked around a mouthful of food.
"Iraq."
I repositioned Groot on my lap, curtailing his attempts to climb onto the table. Iraq. I knew Fluffy had returned from Iraq only a few months ago but-apart from the fact he was intimidating as all hell, an animal lover, and loyal to Lucas and Lila beyond question-I didn't know much more about him. Like how did he know Lucas? And why the fierce loyalty?
"Fluffy, can I ask a question?"
He fixed me with one of his level gazes. There was a part of me that one-hundred percent believed he could move a mountain with that gaze. "As long as it's not Why are you called Fluffy, sure."
"Okay, that's waving a red flag in my face." I grinned. "But we'll leave that for another day."
He grinned in return. Damn, he was gorgeous. When he smiled, his face went from menacing handsome to make-your-panties-wet stunning. "Deal. What do you want to know?"
I flicked a glance at Lucas, currently serving himself up a second helping of ratatouille. "How do you know Lucas? How did you meet?"
Both men grew still. Fluffy watched Lucas, clearly waiting for something. What?
Lucas stabbed at his plate and nodded.
Leaning his butt against the edge of the kitchen counter, Fluffy crossed his ankles and shoved his hands in the pockets of his cargos. His eyes grew distant for a moment. A soft frown tugged at his eyebrows. "My niece fell in with a bad crowd. A real bad crowd."
"Trinity," Lucas clarified.
A big, fat, hot lump filled my throat. Oh man. The gang Lucas had once been in. The gang recognized as one of the most violent and sadistic and powerful in the country. Bad crowd was the understatement of understatements.
"She was only sixteen. Her parents were divorcing-my sister and her husband are shit people-and Lacey … " Pain etched his face, there and gone just as quickly. "Lacey was a good girl who met a boy who promised her everything she wanted. The boy turned out to be a Trinity member. But by the time I found out, it was too late; he'd given Lacey to the gang and she was their property."
My gut rolled. Holy fuck. I didn't need to ask what their property meant.
"I went AWOL," Fluffy went on, studying something I suspected wasn't in the room with us. "Got back to the States and tried to find her." Disgust twisted his lips. "And I failed. Over and over."
"When Trinity has something someone else wants," Lucas said, stare locked on his plate, "they don't let it be found."
"But I did find a Trinity member. Lucas." Fluffy's low grumble made the ball in my stomach tighten into a knot. "And I threatened to kill him if he didn't take me to Lacey."
The Bad Boy in Cuffs
Dangerous Desire, Book 3
Lexxie Couper
Published 2017 by Book Boutiques.
: 978-1-944003-77-7
© 2017, Lexxie Couper.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Book Boutiques.
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, locales, or events is wholly coincidental. The names, characters, dialogue, and events in this book are from the author's imagination and should not to be construed as real.
Manufactured in the USA.
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Blurb
It's not the danger that scares me. It's Lucas thinking he's not good enough for me.
Falling in love with a bad boy, a dangerous bad boy with dangerous skeletons in his closet, was never part of my plan, but I wouldn't change a thing now that it's happened.
All I've got to do is convince Lucas I don't need to be wrapped up in cotton wool.
Not an easy task. Especially when a shadow from his past catches up with us.
And threatens to consume us both …
Dedication
To Val Meglis. Who has held my hand throughout Lucas and Ronnie's journey. I'd be lost without you, my awesome friend. Lost without you.
Acknowledgements
Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs, Tibbs Design
Prologue
I got two things from Lucas Pratt for our engagement: a two-carat solitaire diamond ring that made my stomach ache with how stunning it was, and a Doberman puppy.
Lucas wasn't happy about the puppy. He wanted to buy a full-grown, trained-to-kill Doberman guard dog. I told him no. Now, I've told Lucas Pratt no many times before, just recently about his desire to get me a guard dog. I don't need one. I've got Francis.