Dangerous Love (Mackenzies Book 3) Read online

  Dangerous Love

  Mackenzies Book Three

  Elizabeth Knox

  Dangerous Love

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

  Dangerous Love Copyright © 2021 by Elizabeth Knox. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information, contact E. Knox.

  Editing: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing

  Proofreading: Jackie Ziegler, Knox Publishing

  Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing

  Cover Designer: Clarise Tan, CT Cover Creations

  Photographer: Reggie Deanching, R + M Photography

  Model: Shawn Joseph

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Warning

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Coming Soon

  Available Now

  Available Now by Liz Knox

  Trigger Warning

  This book is intended for mature audiences only. If darker books are not for you, please do not move forward. After re-adjusting my trigger warning system, I will not be giving any spoilers. Please understand that this is not your run-of-the-mill romance, and tough subjects will be discussed in this storyline. This story could include things like rape, kidnapping, abuse, domestic violence, drugs, alcohol abuse, and many other potential triggers.

  Please also be advised it is not recommended to read this book as a standalone.

  Prologue

  Aleksei

  Six Years Ago . . .

  A pounding head and sore neck are what wake me from my sleep. I wish it were blissful, but it isn’t. My body feels like I’ve been run over by cars numerous times, and the headache running through my head is on the same level of pain. Although, I’ve felt much in my life. As with everything, I will overcome it.

  After all, the pain only hurts until it goes away.

  I manage to open my eyes and blink them a bit while adjusting to a strong strobe light, maybe a foot or so away from my head. Upon tugging my arms, I realize I’m strapped down. It looks like thick leather over my forearms, and I’m tied to some sort of chair.

  Okay.

  Breathe.

  I take in a deep breath and lean forward. There have been many times I’ve been in circumstances like this before, where I wake up tied to a chair. While I wish they were hot, they weren’t. I’d much prefer it if a certain woman was walking around me in silky smooth lingerie, but alas, beggars can’t be choosers. All I have to do is manage to stand up and use my body weight to slam the chair against the wall and break it. At which point I’ll be close to being free.

  Though, as I lean forward, there isn’t the slightest bit of movement. It causes me to look down and see the metal my feet are sitting on. The metal goes up, and I follow the lines until I see my arms. Motherfucker, this isn’t a flimsy wooden chair. Instead, it’s practically some sort of tank. If my guess is right, it’s anchored into the wall behind me.

  I glance around the room and notice the thick twelve by twelve white squares. They’re everywhere, over every single inch of this room that I can see. Turning my head to the right and left, I see them on both sides. So, naturally, I stretch my neck out to the right and use my head as a way to feel the texture.

  I’m met with softness but a bit of firmness in it as well. Christ. I’m in a padded fucking room.

  Inhaling deeply through my nostrils, I do my best to not allow emotions to take over me. This has happened before, and I know it’s only inevitable. When your brother is in line for the Bratva, it, unfortunately, comes with the territory.

  The last thing I remember is Sloane holding her cardigan against my chest, pressing on the wound, telling me to stay with her. And as I think over the events, it all comes rushing back.

  “You can’t go. You look into my eyes and you stay here with me, you stubborn brute,” Sloane growls at me in a firm yet terrified manner. It’s not in the way she speaks, but her body language. Her shoulders are tense, and she’s clenching her jaw while she pushes against my chest.

  “If it’s my time, it’s my time,” I say so matter-of-factly. There’s always been so much danger in my life. I’ve often assumed whenever I die, it’ll be like this. This is the way I’m supposed to leave this earth and I know it. I’ve never been one for a peaceful death. Much like a Viking or a Spartan, I want to go out in a way like this.

  A striking burning sensation covers my cheek, pulling me out of it. “I said stay awake, dammit! Aleksei, you stay the fuck awake,” Sloane hisses while tears roll down her cheeks.

  “How is Greer?!” my brother’s voice calls from outside the vehicle.

  “She’s breathing. She’s okay. It’s . . . it’s Aleksei. We need to get him to a hospital now!” Sloane screams back to him while the sounds of gunfire ring through the air.

  Shit. We’re in trouble. I need to help him.

  I lean forward, and Sloane grabs me by the throat. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Lean back against the seat, Aleksei. Fuck.”

  I feel pressure against the outside of both my legs, so I peer down to find Sloane straddling me. I don’t hold back my chortle. “Never thought you’d be doing this again. Didn’t you say last time was the only time?”

  I cackle, finding this funny as fuck, but the laughter is too much for me. My chest rises and falls while my laughs are replaced with coughs. But they don’t feel normal. They’re wet. I inhale deeply, or as deep as I can, and stare at Sloane.

  But she starts changing.

  Suddenly, she isn’t so clear and she becomes muted. It’s not long before the blurry vision in front of me is replaced with darkness.

  Clapping hands jolt me from my memory. It’s repetitive, over and over again, getting louder with each one. “Bravo, my star. Bravo.”

  “Valentin,” I snarl.

  He takes a step closer, coming into the light.

  “I’d wondered for a long time if you’d ever come to to join us. When the physicians told me it was time to remove you from the induced coma, well, I might’ve gotten giddy.”

  I blink while I listen to the madman speak.

  “Faking your death was easy, considering almost half the hospital was on my payroll. I had them pronounce you as dead while, in reality, they were working on saving your life. It’s because of me that you’re here, Aleksei, and everything you experience from here on out is because of me. I don’t want you to forget that. I want you to know I’m the reason behind it all because it’s my orders.”

  He faked my death? No. “You haven’t gotten away with anything, you old fool.”

  Valentin’s laughter echoes through the room. He takes another step closer to me and looks into my eyes. “I got your body right before they were about to incinerate you. The physicians I worked with kept you in a coma using clinical drugs only I could obtain. They w
eren’t even sure if the drugs would work, but alas, they did. Aleksandr and the Mackenzies think you’re dead, Aleksei. They won’t be helping you. Not one bit.”

  “You’re lying. None of what you say is true!”

  Valentin cackles. “It’s been a year since the accident, Aleksei. An entire year that you’ve been in my team’s care. I’ve kept you asleep for most of it, but I felt it was time to wake you up. I found out something . . . very interesting, to say the least. Something I think you’d like to know.”

  Valentin pulls out his cell phone and taps away on the screen. Ultimately, he turns it around, and I see a familiar face—Sloane’s.

  Only, this isn’t a photo of just Sloane.

  She’s in what appears to be a hospital bed with two pink blankets. Dark circles are under her eyes, and she looks more exhausted than I’ve ever seen her. I look closer and see those aren’t blankets.

  They’re babies.

  Girls since they have pink blankets.

  “Aleksandrina and Anastassia Goncharov.”

  I react in no manner at hearing my surname being said.

  “She gave birth to these two roughly four months ago. I take it from their surname, you’re the father,” he says with a smile, loving how he can rub this in my fucking face.

  “I need to . . .” I mutter lowly, forcing him to get closer to me. He does exactly as I want and comes a good bit closer, giving me the ability to slam my head against his nose. A horrible crack can be heard while blood gushes out. He backs away with a hand over his face.

  “You will regret this, Aleksei!”

  I will regret nothing. If those girls are mine, I need to get out of here and I will, even if it’s the last thing I do.

  Valentin opens some sort of door, and I see a hallway. Interesting how I couldn’t see it before. The padding must go over the door. Valentin is speaking to someone, and the man turns toward me and proceeds to enter the room with some sort of leather satchel in his hands. The door closes behind him, and he grows closer, coming into the light, and opening the satchel.

  I’ve seen many of these instruments before, and no matter what is done to me, I will survive. Torture will not be how I leave this earth. I have too much to live for now.

  Chapter One

  Sloane

  Present Day . . .

  I didn’t know what it meant to fall out of love with someone until now. It’s like watching your life like you’re a bystander. As if you’re not in control of anything, but you know you have the power to make decisions. I want a love that’s explosive. A love I had once and lost. I only wish I had the power to bring back the dead. If love was a drug, it would be Aleksei.

  Keeran isn’t a bad guy. I loved him once and my girls love him, but as time goes on, we grow further apart. When we first got together, it was terrifying. I felt like I was betraying Aleksei for moving on. Half the time, I couldn’t grasp all of the feelings rushing through my mind. Not only was I depressed from losing the father of my kids, but postpartum depression came in full force. The moment I knew there was something between Keeran and me was one of the most traumatizing of my life.

  He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me down from the ledge of the balcony. I was ready to jump. I was ready to end it all. I felt like a horrible mother and an even worse girlfriend. A girlfriend to a dead man, which in hindsight isn’t even possible. My depression had me all over the place. I never got closure when it came to Aleksei’s passing, and Keeran saw it. He helped me grieve the man I loved more than anything else, and somehow, we grew closer over time.

  I don’t think we even had a conversation about dating. I think it just happened after a while. He was the one assigned to my security detail, and after spending so much time with us, we fell into this. Since our relationship has been public, Keeran was re-assigned to my brother’s wife, Caprice, and Kellan, my nephew.

  Keeran shifts in bed beside me. One day a week, he comes into my bedroom. It used to be more frequent, but now sex is a chore we both commit to. While it’s sad, it’s true.

  He wraps his hand around my stomach and nuzzles his lips against the base of my neck. “Apologies for being late, my love. I promise to make up for it, though.” Keeran presses soft kisses to my shoulder, neck, and cheek. It’s pitch black out, so I’m betting it’s past midnight. Liam and Caprice went out into town tonight, so I shouldn’t be surprised he’s late.

  “It’s okay. I know you were working,” I murmur, turning my head back a bit. I can’t see him in the dark, but it feels natural to want to shift toward him.

  “Still, I feel bad. Lately, our lives have been so crazy. I’m working intense hours. You’ve been traveling quite a bit for work. It’s like our schedules are alternating. I miss you, love.” Keeran’s Irish accent comes out thicker than usual, showing me the sincerity in his words.

  I roll over and reach up to touch his face, hoping it’ll strike something within me. I want to be in love with him so badly, and I love him. I’m simply not in love with him anymore. I know my feelings, yet it’s not something I’m prepared to tell him just yet.

  “We haven’t been spending much time together lately, have we?” I question, knowing I can’t tell him I miss him too. I can’t lie to him, and sooner or later, I’m going to have to tell Keeran how I feel. It’ll absolutely wreck him and it’ll be the worst part. He’s an amazing man, and any woman would be lucky to have him.

  My eyes well with tears he can’t see because I wish I felt this way for him. I don’t know how I fell out of love with the man, but I wish I didn’t. God, how I wish I didn’t.

  “No, we haven’t, and I intend on changing it very soon. I hope you can be patient a bit longer, Sloane. You’ve sacrificed so much for our relationship and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”

  I don’t hold back my soft chortle. “I’ve hardly made any sacrifices, Keeran. If anyone has, it’s been you.” The man changed assignments just to be with the girls and me. He’s an absolute angel and he has no idea.

  “No, don’t discredit yourself.” Keeran brushes his fingertips along my cheek and he ends up pulling me closer to him. “I’ll have to take the girls out for breakfast in the morning since I wasn’t back in time to read them their story before bed.” Like I said, Keeran is amazing. It makes me hate myself for not being in love with him. He’s perfect. He’s who every single mom dream of, and yet I have it and feel nothing anymore.

  “I’m sure they’d love that.” I know they will. The girls adore Keeran, but it’s only because they have him wrapped around their damn little fingers. They’re such princesses, spoiled and all.

  “I hope so. I hated not being here tonight,” Keeran comments. Running his hand along my spine, he stops above my ass and rubs my lumbar area.

  “It’s okay, Keeran. I know they’re young, but the girls understand you’re a busy man. They know you work very hard to protect us, just like Luca, Bishop, and the rest of the team.” Everything I’m saying is true. I’ve always told the girls how we have men around us to keep us safe. I will never, ever let them think the men guarding us don’t make sacrifices every day. Not when their father paid the ultimate sacrifice.

  “Thank you for understanding so much, Sloane,” Keeran whispers as his lips graze against mine. He kisses me softly, pressing on my back to bring me closer to him. “God, I’ve fucking missed you.”

  I don’t say a word in response because how can I? I match his movements and kiss him, needing the companionship he provides me with. His lips grow hungrier, and I match his pace, never slowing down. This is no different than fucking a friend or fucking a stranger. I reach down between us and grab ahold of his hard cock over his boxers. I gently stroke him until he weaves his way between my legs, pushes my panties to the side, and enters me.

  He leans down to kiss my neck, and I wrap my arms around his neck, ready for him to get his fill of me. By the time morning comes, he’ll be gone, and I won’t see him until next week.

  Chapter Two

  Aleksei


  Silence. It’s the only thing that’s kept me company over the past day. Complete and utter silence. I’ve looked through the window and there hasn’t even been one movement. I haven’t seen anyone at the station outside my door, nor have I heard the footsteps of Valentin’s minions walking the halls. Everyone has left, and I have no idea why.

  My stomach growling gently reminds me I need to act quickly. I’ve been in this room for years, meaning I know every weak point in addition to every strength. White padded walls still keep me confined. Occasionally one of Valentin’s minions, er, I mean bitches, would come and retrieve me. It gave me the ability to memorize the facility.

  For the most part, my torture would happen here in the room, but on the occasions where I’d lose much blood, they’d take me away into a shower. It’s set up like a prison, which makes me think it is one. An old one, that is. It would make sense this corrupt man would own a prison. If only he could be in it.

  Glancing around, I debate which ways are the best ways out. There’s an air vent ten feet up, and if I stand on the chair, I could easily reach it. The only issue lies in if I’d fit in the dusty vents or if they’d support my weight. Sure, I’ve lost a lot of weight being here. I no longer hold the same muscle mass I once did, but the vents appear to be old and barely hanging together.

  The lights flicker out of nowhere, and I narrow my eyes. I really wish I had a fucking window. Stupid bastards. I sit down on the padded floor and lean back. Just as I’m sliding my arm under my head, the lights go out, and I mean out. It’s pitch black, and I can’t see a thing. If it weren’t for the fact, I lived in these damn rooms for years, I wouldn’t know where anything is.