All Chapters of Dangerous Curves (Dangerous Curves 1): Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Jax Hamill glanced around the bar, looking to spot any trouble before it got started. In his five years as the owner of Dangerous Curves, five years as a bouncer, and more than fifteen years as a regular bar patron, he’d seen how trouble actually had a vibe. Like steam rising off a cup of coffee, trouble could move the air around a person, a couple, a group. Jax had become damn good at seeing those vibrations – sometimes long before the people involved even knew that they were on the verge of losing it and starting something.His dark-green eyes scanned the bar again, taking it all in. A few weird things going on – like what the hell is that uptown blonde in the white sweater even fucking doing here, and why is she all over Mac? – but no red flags. Just a regular Saturday night, as far as he could tell. That was when he spotted her sitting at the far end of the bar by herself.In a room full of activity and buzz, she was totally motionless; in a bar that was heaving with dancing, laug

She forced herself to look away. “I’m not drinking tonight. Thanks anyway.”“So what’s that?” His large hands gestured at her glass. “Just Coke.”He paused. “No rum in there?”“Urgh, no.”“You don’t go for the hard stuff, Red?” he asked, a teasing note in his voice.“Never.” She knew he was asking about more than alcohol now, and she was determined to shut that crap down from the word go.The door opened again, and she glanced over to see a guy in khakis standing there looking around. She jumped a bit.Oh, no. This night just keeps getting better.The man next to her must have seen her reaction, because he looked over at the guy too. His eyes narrowed.“Something wrong, baby?” he said in that amazing voice.Baby?“Uh, well. Maybe.”“Who’s that?” he asked.Sarah sighed. “Dave. My ex.”The man stared over at Dave fixedly, taking in his button-down shirt, and neat blond hair. “I don’t like him.”She shot him a look, and felt a real smile break out on her face. “Yeah. That makes two of u

“I got it, Stud," Sarah said. "You just go on over there with your buddies and relax.”“Uh-huh,” Jax said, certain that she’d be the one cooling her heels in mere seconds. “If you say so.”Sarah stood at the top of the table, eyeing the balls. She turned to the men. “You want to call solids or stripes?”“Ladies’ choice,” Mac said before Jax could say anything. Jax shrugged, knowing that Mac was trying to give her some semblance of a snowball’s chance in hell. Not that she had one.“OK.” She narrowed her eyes at the balls. “I’m stripes.”“Knock yourself out,” Jax said, barely containing his amusement.The force and volume of the crack when she connected with the cue ball made almost everyone on their side of the room turn around to look at her. Jax blinked, astonished, as two striped balls shot into the side pockets like bullets. She prowled around the table, intent and focused, and the three men watched her, fascinated.Jax felt his eyes widen as she leaned over now, giving him a nice

Sarah fumbled in her purse for her car keys, trying to not regret turning Jax down. Sure, it was insulting and offensive to be treated like a piece of ass, but then again, when would she ever get another offer from a guy that hot? God, girl. Maybe you should have just gone with it, you know? Just relaxed, and had some fun for once. A meaningless, one-night fling. I bet he’d have been amazing in bed.She got to her car, still searching for her keys. That was when a hand grabbed her from behind, and spun her around. She gasped, dropped her purse.“Dave!” she said. “Jesus Christ, you scared me to death. What are you –”It was a total shock when he punched her in the side of the head, so much so that she didn’t even scream, despite the sharp pain. She couldn’t believe what was happening, and so all she did was stand there, staring up at his face, and inhaling the alcohol fumes on his breath, as he hit her again and again.That was when she let out a cry of fear and hurt, and felt her leg

Jax sat down on the bed again, and she moved away from him, curling up and in on herself. He could see her trembling, and something moved in his chest: he hated to see her scared of anything, and most especially of him.“Sarah.” Jax kept his rough voice as gentle as possible. “I’m not going to touch you, OK? I’m staying right over here… can you turn over and look at me? Let me see you?”She shook her head, her face still buried in the pillow.“OK, then. No rush. Just listen to me though, alright?”She nodded.“I know what the bunch of us looks like, but not one of us is going to hurt you. That is a promise, Sarah, from me to you.” He paused. “And Mac’s going to take good care of you. He’s a doctor, so he knows what he’s doing.”That surprised her. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her blue eyes bright with tears. “A doctor?”“Yeah.” He took this opportunity to get a good look at her face in the light, and he felt anger twisting his gut. Mac was right, he saw – she’d definitely nee