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  Lips on my Heart

  A Mercy Ravens MC Novel Book 1

  M.J. Marino

  Contents

  Thank You

  About This Book

  1. Maceo

  2. Josephine

  3. Maceo

  4. Josephine

  5. Josephine

  6. Josephine

  7. Maceo

  8. Josephine

  9. Maceo

  10. Maceo

  11. Josephine

  12. Maceo

  13. Josephine

  14. Maceo

  15. Josephine

  16. Maceo

  17. Josephine & Maceo

  18. Josephine

  19. Maceo

  Epilogue

  Playlist for Lips On My Heart

  Coming Soon

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Stay Connected

  Copyright

  Lips On My Heart - A Mercy Ravens MC Novel 1

  By: M.J. Marino

  Copyright © 2020 by M.J Marino

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the M.J. Marino’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, things, locales, organizations, or events is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design: Amy Queau of qcoverdesign.com

  Editing: Christa Desir

  Created with Vellum

  Dedication

  For my husband and our three boys.

  Thank you for keeping me on my toes.

  Thank You

  Hello Awesome Reader,

  I wanted to personally thank you for purchasing my first self-published novel. It means so much to me that you are reading something of mine, and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

  Writing has always been a hobby of mine, but becoming a published author seemed so daunting a task, I shelved the idea for many years. Eventually, I realized the only thing holding me back from making my dream a reality was myself. So I dusted off my computer and sat my butt down until I finally wrote something that I wanted to share with others.

  Josephine and Maceo developed in my head overnight and I instantly fell in love with their chemistry. Their story came to me so naturally that my fingers had to race to keep up with my imagination. Within a month, I had written the start of their love journey, and now you get to enjoy it.

  The self-publishing route has been a journey in itself, but I’m finally learning the ropes, and will be publishing more about these two lovebirds in the very near future.

  My wish for you, dear reader, is that you get lost in the fantasy, place yourself in the characters’ shoes, and live a different life if only for a moment.

  Enjoy!

  M.J. Marino

  About This Book

  Not all the best decisions in life come from making logical choices. Going off the path most chosen sometimes brings you to where you were always meant to be.

  Josephine Holland doesn’t veer from the path of least resistance. She may appear fragile like a pixie, but Josephine takes control like a dictator with a Napoleon Complex. An awful ex-boyfriend has left her with a sour taste for any future relationships. Josephine wipes the slate clean for a fresh start in Fort Collins, Colorado. With no time for nonsense, Josephine busies herself with her start-up design company and hopes for the best.

  Maceo Tabares, a man who oozes trouble, is only interested in no-strings-attached hookups. The former Navy SEAL’s life is dangerous, and a target is always on his back. A relationship would only complicate things. Tired of the vagabond lifestyle, he chooses Fort Collins as his headquarters for his crew, with plans of expanding his security company. Maceo longs for stability, but having an old lady to share his life with is not in the cards.

  So when a chance encounter on a hiking trail has these two conflicting characters running into each other—literally—neither one is interested in anything beyond a stolen moment. What neither of them expected was for a spark to form after that single encounter—a spark that would burn down their defensive walls and throw their clear-cut paths into unfamiliar territory.

  Josephine’s reaction is to flee while Maceo’s is to pursue.

  Josephine has no intentions of seeing Maceo again, but fate intervenes. When she meets her new client, Atlas, President of the Mercy Ravens MC, she comes face-to-face with Maceo, and all bets are off.

  When a potential stalker puts Josephine in danger, Maceo will stop at nothing to protect the woman who has consumed his life. Several hurdles must be cleared for them to have a fighting chance, but will their love be enough fight off all those that want to to do them harm? Will love conquer all for these two headstrong lovers?

  Chapter One

  Maceo

  There’s nothing quite as refreshing as an early morning run—well, for me at least. Though it’s not like I have much of a say in the matter. I’m used to waking up at the crack of dawn.

  Living as a Navy SEAL for ten years changes you. It conditions you and organizes every aspect of your life ‘till you run like a finely tuned engine. After my retirement from the navy two years ago, I’m still up by five o’clock each and every morning, regardless of what recovery mission I’m currently involved in or how hard I’ve partied the night before.

  God, I’ve missed the quiet of this place. It’s good to be back home.

  The peace it gives me as I run along the Cache la Poudre River and Rocky Mountains is almost enough to silence the demons. Almost, but never fully gone. This near-perfect atmosphere is the reason why I’ve decided to set down roots here in Fort Collins, Colorado with my men and take my security company to the next level.

  My workout isn’t helped by the fact I’ve only slept for three hours. This run is killing me, which only pushes me harder. I’m not a runner by any stretch of the imagination. I’m a fighter and a heavy weights kind of guy. But I like the challenge and thrive on it. Plus, I need the cardio in my daily routine. My eyes are burning, my lungs and legs are bitching at me, but I welcome it. It reminds me I’m alive when many of my brothers in service no longer are.

  Doesn’t help that it’s been nearly three months since I’ve had sex. Back to back missions don’t exactly give me enough time to find a sweet little thing I’m willing to be balls deep in. Unlike some of the guys on my crew who will fuck any woman who wants their dick, I’m more selective in my choice of bedmates. I’m not willing to risk my health for a quick fuck—regardless of always keeping my member covered and being tested regularly—it’s not worth the risk.

  A fuck buddy with no strings attached is not something most women go for, leaving my playing field extremely limited. I could be a bigger dick and promise a woman flowers and a happily-ever-after to get her in bed, but I won’t. I give it to her straight and let her decide if she can handle it when I’m gone.

  I don’t do relationships—I never have, and I sure as fuck don’t plan on it in the future. I’ve seen too many relationships go bad while in the navy. I made a ‘no relationship’ rule for myself early in life. There are only three ways it ends—cheating, divorce, or death. In my case, it would probably be death, and there’s no reason to involve a woman in my messy life. The fact I haven’t found a woman who can change my mind only solidifies my view on it.

  Happily-ever-after doesn’t exist—at least not for most people. Hence, it’s a bachelor’s life for me, but damn if my cock i
sn’t angry with me for holding it back.

  Thinking about getting my dick wet makes it twitch in response, as if begging me to make it happen soon.

  Yes, I know you want to get laid. No, I’m not ignoring you. I’m presently waiting for the right playmate to walk into my life.

  It’s been thirty minutes since I’ve started on this trail, and I’m ready to head back to the house when I see the shape of someone up ahead running my way. Another early riser. My eyes home in on the gorgeous figure.

  It’s a petite young woman with light brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. Her toned sun-kissed legs are accentuated by the short running shorts. I want to see her backside to confirm if her ass is as firm as my imagination guesses. Her face is thin and oval with an elfin nose and luscious pink lips. The tank top she’s wearing is suctioned to her tight body, outlining her perky breasts, which are bouncing hypnotically as she runs.

  My once-twitching dick is now semi-hard, and my mouth instantly salivates as I take in the tiny little thing running toward me. Goddamn, she’s a wet dream come true! It’s as if God himself was listening and sending me exactly what I need.

  A smirk spreads across my face as our paths converge, but my smile falls when I see the fucking hellhound barreling down on her from behind.

  Like flipping a switch, I go into full SEAL mode, charging right toward the pretty pixie who doesn’t have a clue as to the danger she’s in.

  “Hey!” I yell to get her attention. But she doesn’t hear me. I get closer, and I see she has fucking earbuds in, putting her more at risk than I originally assessed.

  I scream again as I run, waving my arms over my head and hoping the movement will catch her attention.

  She spots me this time and stops in her tracks, her eyes going wide.

  “Fuck!” I race faster to reach her. I didn’t want her to stop. The beast of a dog is sure to attack her if she doesn’t move.

  Before she has a chance to say a peep, I’m on top of her and flinging her over my shoulder, OTS survival-style, and running in the opposite direction of the huge black dog.

  The pixie screams as I race away, the dog barking as it charges us.

  “It’s okay. I gotcha.” But her screaming only continues, probably because she saw Cujo chasing after us.

  “Help!” she screams as she squirms and kicks violently under my tight hold over her firm thighs. I really shouldn’t be thinking about how good her legs feel under my touch, but I can’t help myself.

  “HELP!”

  “I got you, baby. He won’t hurt you.”

  The dog’s barks are getting closer, which, I won’t lie, makes me panic slightly. The fucking hound is mammoth. I’m used to dealing with terrorists, killers, mafia—people, not feral animals the size of a damn mountain lion. I need to get us to higher ground immediately.

  “Fuck!” I grunt as the dog closes in on my heels.

  A boulder comes into view up ahead and it’s the only place we can escape to before dog is on us. As soon as I’m close enough, I use the hand not wrapped around her perfect petite body to hoist us both up on the rock.

  The dog comes charging at us, jumps, but falls short. Doesn’t stop him from trying again, barking and bouncing around the rock like he’s on a fucking pogo stick. It’s the reason I haven’t set down the woman still hanging over my shoulder.

  “Someone help meeeee!” She pounds on my ass with her fists. I know she’s hitting me with all her might, but I honestly can’t feel a thing; my body is conditioned to handle anything thrown at it.

  “Shh,” I coo, pulling her down my body and holding her close to my heaving chest, keeping her far away from the devil who circles in bounds around the boulder. I pull out her earbuds for her to hear me better. “You’re safe, sweetheart.”

  She shoves against me. “What the hell is wrong with you, you goddamn giant!” she shouts, looking up at me with coastal blue eyes. Fucking stunning.

  Confused by her anger, I frown but don’t let go. She’s tiny—her head barely coming to my chest, which makes me imagine how fun it would be to throw her around on a bed. My cock chooses this inopportune moment to twitch in agreement while pressed against her stomach. This makes her go into full-on panic mode, pushing against me to wiggle free.

  “Easy,” I chide, holding tightly to her lush body. I can’t risk her falling into the path of the killer dog.

  “Let go of me! You sick twisted motherfucker! You keep your dick in your pants or I’ll fucking bite it off, I swear to God.”

  Bite my penis off? Jeeze.

  Clearly, she’s freaked out and I need to reassure her, but I can’t help a chuckle from escaping me. This pixie has a mouth on her, and damn if it’s not the sexiest thing ever.

  “Look, calm down. I’m not going to touch you,” I say, fighting a smile.

  “Stop laughing at me!” she seethes. I laugh again. Her temper is too damn cute, exactly like her.

  “Let me go,” she growls.

  My eyes track the dog circling us like a shark. “Not a chance in hell.”

  “Seriously, let me go, now!” she demands.

  “And watch that thing rip you to shreds?” I point at the dog. “The beast was chasing you, and it would have been on your back if I hadn’t swept you up and climbed both our asses here.”

  My beautiful pixie stops hitting my chest and looks at me with her eyebrows raised nearly to her hairline. “You thought I was in danger?” she asks, like I’m ridiculous.

  “It was going to maul you,” I say firmly, wrapping my arms tighter around her slender frame to hold her closer. Fuck, she fits perfectly.

  She shakes her head. Giggles erupt from her before she looks at the dog. “Hades, silent!”

  The fucking dog stops barking.

  “Hades, sit.”

  The dog sits back on its haunches, waiting patiently for her to give the next command.

  What. The. Fuck.

  The woman turns her elfin face back to me with the most beautiful smile, showing perfect pearly teeth.

  Well, I’ll be damned. I just saved a woman who didn’t need saving.

  “The hellhound is your dog?” I question, still refusing to release her.

  “He’s not a hellhound. He’s a Cane Corso, and he’s my baby,” she says defensively.

  I look from her to the giant dog—whose massive tongue is hanging out, making him look like he’s smiling—and back to her again. “If he’s your dog, why don’t you have him on a leash? And why was he running you down?”

  She sighs. “Everywhere I go with him, he needs to be on a damn leash. Some places make me muzzle him because of his breed. But he’s a good boy—all bark and no bite. Rolls over on his belly to children, for crying out loud. This is the one place I let him run loose where he goes unnoticed. He was sniffing trees, fell behind, and was trying to catch up to me. Hades only freaked out when he saw you grab me and run.”

  I roll my eyes. “You named your hellhound after the god of the underworld.”

  She snorts. “Fitting, don’t you think?”

  I laugh. This woman is fucking funny. A beauty with a sense of humor.

  “Um, now that you know my dog isn’t going to kill me, will you please let me go?”

  “Yeah, sorry.” Reluctantly, I release my hold on her. She felt too damn good near my skin. She takes a deep breath—as if to calm herself—and gives me a shy smile, which I return.

  Lithely she slides off the boulder and opens her arms to Hades, who bounds right into her embrace. He knocks her flat on her beautiful ass, licking her all over. Giggles and squeals erupt from her. I can’t help the grin spreading across my face. The dog has to weigh more than 150 pounds, beating my pixie by at least fifty, but clearly, he’s her baby; he even tries to crawl into her lap.

  “Yeah, it’s okay, Hades. Mommy’s okay, big boy. Thank you for trying to protect me. I love you, too. Who’s Mommy’s good boy? Yep, it’s you, yes it is,” she says in a higher-pitched voice.

  Chuckl
ing, I slide down the boulder next to her. Hades growls in warning. Apparently, he’s not a fan of mine. My smile widens because the big beast is protective of his mamá.

  “Hades, no! I know he scared us, but this is Mommy’s friend, um…” She looks to me.

  “Maceo,” I answer.

  She nods before looking back to Hades. “This is Maceo. He’s okay. He thought Mommy was in trouble and was trying to help. He’s sorry he scared us. Okay, big guy?”

  A snigger slips past my lips and I run a hand through my unruly hair. “It’s funny how you talk to him, like he actually understands what you’re saying.”

  Hades growl. “Hades, no growling,” she warns before turning her attention back to me. She stands to her full height, which I’m guessing is no more than five-two, making me well over a foot taller than her. “Of course, he does. Every damn word. He’s the smartest dog.”

  Amused, I laugh, but in the corner of my eye I catch Hades, who is baring his teeth at me, making no noise behind his mamá’s back. The dog is smart, I’ll give him that, hiding the threat he’s making to avoid being reprimanded. Maybe he does comprehend humans.

  “Well, he’s definitely protective of you.”

  “Yeah. I heard enough horror stories about Colorado’s wildlife to know I wanted to get the biggest, toughest dog to accompany me on my runs—for both companionship and protection. I adopted him from the Humane Society, but his name was different. They named him something obnoxious: Licorice.” She makes a face of disgust and I shake my head. “One look at his sweet golden eyes and I was sold. Brought him home and we’ve been inseparable since.”