The Dangerous Convenience Store

Survival taught Elon Rivers that his body could be a weapon—just not in the way his stepfather intended. Now he works the con: dress pretty, play helpless, drug them, and disappear with their valuables. It's not honest work, but nothing about Elon's life has ever been honest. When he targets the wrong mark—Fort Thorne, a mafia enforcer with eyes like a winter grave—his carefully constructed world shatters. Fort knew exactly what Elon was from the moment he walked into that hotel room. The briefcase Elon stole contained information worth killing for, and Fort wants it back. There's just one problem: Elon's roommate has already stolen it from him, and now Fort is out two million dollars. Fort's offer is simple: return what was stolen, or work off the debt. Every single Penny. Trapped in Fort's world of violence and power, Elon discovers that his captor is as damaged as he is, and that the line between hatred and desire is thinner than he ever imagined. But in a world where trust is a luxury neither can afford, falling for the enemy might be the most dangerous con of all.

What happens when four very different males are brought together at an academy for supernatural creatures? Chaos, testosterone and of course … danger run amok. Each of the males has a secret, some more obvious than others. Are there even females capable of taming them, or will their secrets be too much? What if the ladies have secrets of their own? Werewolves, shapeshifters of different sorts, vampire and more! With each story that gets told, the danger increases. Will it finally catch up with them? “If you like her, then you’ll want to keep her alive.” Can the guys successfully date while being a total danger not only to themselves but to any females they encounter? Follow Troy, Jesse, Ryan and Dustin as they try to navigate school, love and being teenagers with supernatural powers unlike any other. For both the males and females alike, change is hard but denying true love is even more dangerous. How can they balance it all, and how will their families handle the new additions to their lives? Find out in this four part book, Warning: Danger.

On New Year’s Eve, my fiancee, Delilah Carrington, left me to freeze to death in subzero snow. As my body went numb, she was wrapped in the military coat I had found for her, curled up in Everett Kingsley’s arms while eating the holiday groceries I had paid for. When I opened my eyes again, I was back before everything fell apart. So when she called—cold, demanding, rattling off a shopping list like I owed her—I hung up, blocked her number, and made my move. I sealed off Blackridge Logistics Hub, the largest logistics hub in the country. Stockpiling supplies? Pointless. Because my coworkers and I had more packages than we could ever open: seafood delicacies, premium cigars, top-shelf liquor, and industrial generators. Hundreds of millions of shipments meant for the holidays were now all mine. Inside a warehouse kept at a steady 26°C, I ate wagyu steak and watched the world collapse through surveillance feeds. I witnessed Delilah’s entire family tear each other apart over half a moldy pack of crackers. I thought I could live like this forever. I was wrong. In the apocalypse, the most dangerous thing isn’t what’s waiting outside. It’s the people who refuse to stop playing the hero.

After the morning rush at the supermarket dies down, I tear off a piece of bread to eat. My daughter, who's just getting out of bed at nearly noon, immediately explodes at me. "Dad, can you stop being so greedy? The moment I'm not around, you help yourself to the expensive bread. Honestly, the worst thieves are the ones under your own roof." I try to explain that I've been up since 5:00 am and haven't even had breakfast yet, but she doesn't care. She barks, "Let's get one thing straight. This is my store. I was kind enough to bring you here from the countryside so you could enjoy your retirement. Is this how you repay me?" My son-in-law jumps in unhappily. "If you're hungry, can't you just wait a little longer? There are leftovers from yesterday at home. Couldn't you go back and eat those instead?" His mother steps in with a smile. "Alright, that's enough. I'm sure he isn't the type to take advantage of people. If he ate the bread, he'll pay for it, right? It's five dollars. You can Venmo me." I laugh out of exasperation. This store is opened with my money. Every shelf is stocked with merchandise I carry in myself. I get up before dawn and work until late at night without getting paid a single cent. And now, I need to pay for a piece of bread? If this is how things are going to be, I don't want this kind of daughter anymore. I gather all my savings account books and bank cards, then change the beneficiary's name in my will to my nephew's.

At the supermarket checkout, I pulled up my e-wallet. The system froze. While I waited, I shoved the bottled water into a bag. "Miss!" the cashier yelled. "You didn't pay. Trying to steal?" Every head turned. Before I could say a word, my phone rang. "Dr. Andersen, a family of three got hit by a truck. Metal debris went through their chests. You're the only one who can operate!" Owen sounded freaked. I hung up and slapped a ten on the counter. "I'm sorry, but I have an emergency operation waiting. I need to go. Can I pay cash?" "No." She tossed the bill aside and gave me a once-over. "You? A doctor? Yeah, right. "You're not going anywhere until the system's back up." My phone kept buzzing in my pocket. "I don't want it anymore." I dropped the bottled water on the counter and turned to leave. Click. The cashier locked the exit gate. Then she faced the crowd. "She broke the checkout system, and now she's trying to run! Don't let her get away! "Everyone, stay calm. Security and the technician will be here any second." Whispers broke out around me. The smug look in her eyes made my blood boil.

"Who did that to you?" His voice pressed, demanding. But I had to shut him down if I wanted to keep myself together. "If you get to keep things from me, then so do I." “If I find out who he is—if I find him…” “I hope you don’t,” I cut in. “Because I’d rather he was already dead.” “I won't be at peace until you see it for yourself. Either his grave, or his death right in front of you.” He inched closer to me, pulling my chin more and more until our faces were very close. “And remember, Leandra ....” His words sounded like a promise. His breathing was so heavy, so determined. “The moment you watch that bastard die, you’ll see me there too.” *** Being my best friend’s delivery girl isn’t exactly my idea of fun. Usually, it’s annoying. But this time? This time, it led me straight to him. He kissed me—this stranger, so alluring that it made me think of him all the time. The scent of his body, his heavy voice, his pierced grey eyes ... it all stayed with me. Haunted me. Drove me crazy. The problem? He wants nothing to do with me. He keeps his distance, tells me to stay away, says I need to forget him. He says he’s a dangerous man. But how do I forget someone who’s already under my skin? How do I let go of the one man who’s already claimed my heart?