Vendetta Road

by Christine Feehan

  “As you know, Winston was involved in a con artist ring targeting wealthy women. These men would meet women at fund-raising events and then insert themselves into their lives.” Jonas Harrington leaned forward. “How much did you know about it?”

  “Nothing at all.” She could answer that honestly. “Winston would give me a list of names, both men and women, he wanted me to befriend. He claimed he was going into politics and it was important to know the right people. He would need money and donations and wanted me friends with very wealthy men and women. He also introduced me to several of the men that were involved with him in this horrible business.” She gave a delicate little shudder.

  Ice came in with a tray, putting it down on the coffee table and handing mugs to both Jonas and Jackson.

  “Look at you, all domestic,” Jonas teased.

  Ice flipped him off and then settled himself on the arm of Soleil’s chair. She loved it when he did that. She felt surrounded by the two members of Torpedo Ink, and safe. Treasured even. She reached up and took Ice’s hand. He threaded his fingers through hers.

  Watching Ice carefully, Jonas Harrington smiled at Soleil. She noticed Deveau never took his gaze off her. He was like a hawk, waiting for his prey to make a mistake so he could pounce.

  “Where was Ice the night Winston hung himself?”

  She blinked, everything in her going still. She looked up at Ice.

  “Don’t look at him. Look at me,” Harrington said. “Where was he?”

  Ice remained exactly the same beside her. Relaxed. Not in the least bit tense. Stomach churning, she wished she could be equally as calm. It made her angry, though.

  “What are you accusing him of?” she demanded.

  “Answer the question,” Harrington persisted.

  “Watch how you talk to her,” Ice said. “I know you have a job to do, but you can be polite about it.”

  “My husband has been in bed with me every night since we’ve been married. In case you want to know, we have a very active sex life. I don’t think I’d forget if he missed a night with me.” She glared at Harrington.

  He lifted his coffee cup to his mouth, but she caught the smile before he took a sip. That little smile made her relax again.

  “So, he was with you that night?” Deveau persisted.

  “Most of the night, yes. He worked with a crew putting in a floor at the apartments over the bar. Bannister was working as well. There were quite a few of the club members working that night. You can ask around.”

  By their expressions, it was clear they had already done that. She detested that. If they already knew, why ask? They had expected to catch her in a lie. She leaned her head against Ice. “I don’t know what else I can tell you other than I’m happy with my husband and grateful I escaped when so many other women didn’t.”

  “I’m happy as well,” Jonas said. “Did Winston ever talk to you about being angry with any of these men he supposedly killed?”

  “Winston was angry at the world. He believed himself superior to everyone, and if anybody crossed him, he believed in taking retaliatory action immediately. I thought it was proven he killed those men.”

  “They did trace all the bomb-making supplies back to him. He used his credit card. I suppose he didn’t care enough to hide his purchases since he was going to kill himself.”

  “Honestly, I can see him killing all of them if he was angry. Maybe because he didn’t get to me, they were kicking him out, although I didn’t think he was the type to kill himself.”

  Her statement seemed to satisfy the two men when before she wasn’t certain what they were looking for. They asked her a few more questions and then seemed to just chat with Ice and Absinthe about local business and Alena’s restaurant. Just before they left, they asked her a few more questions about her marriage, and this time, they asked Ice as well.

  In the end, they just got up and left. She let out her breath, not realizing she’d been holding it on and off, afraid, but of what, she didn’t know.

  Absinthe brushed his lips across her cheek. “You did great. I was proud of you.” He followed the two men out, leaving her alone with her husband.

  Ice pulled her out of the chair and put his arms around her. “Stop shaking, princess, it’s over. They’ll leave you alone.”

  “What was he trying to imply? That you had something to do with those murders all the way in San Francisco? I didn’t understand what he was getting at.”

  “We’re MC. Law enforcement thinks all of us are criminals and we’re always up to no good.” He nuzzled her neck. “They might be right. Come on, baby. Let’s get to the club. We’re celebrating, remember?”

  “I’ve forgotten what we’re celebrating.”

  “We closed the deal with Inez. She owns the grocery store in Sea Haven, and she’s promised to help us open ours. We’re going into partnership with her so we can use the name. That was important to get the locals to use our store. She’ll run it for a couple of months to make certain it’s smooth sailing before she hands it over completely to us.”

  * * *

  Soleil hadn’t expected so many people. The party had gone on for hours. The alcohol buzzed pleasantly through her veins. She’d never laughed so hard or danced so much as she did that night. The locals attending had gone home, leaving only the clubs there, and that was when the real party started.

  She sat outside by the firepit while all around them, the party took off. She enjoyed watching others. She’d been introduced to so many newcomers she couldn’t remember any of their names, only that some were from another chapter of Torpedo Ink and others were from a club that wanted to patch over to Torpedo Ink.

  Ice told her that every man there had attended one of the schools in Russia. She was somewhat surprised, as they all spoke perfect English without a trace of an accent. She was part of all this. Ice had given that to her. She looked up at him with absolute love. He happened to be watching her face in the firelight, and he smiled down at her. The look on his face was breathtaking.

  “Come on, baby.”

  Her heart jumped and then began to pound. She’d been waiting for what seemed forever. She recognized that voice. She knew what was coming and all night, with the pounding beat of the music in her veins and her body, she’d been waiting. Sometimes she loved him so much she could barely breathe. She took his hand and let him pull her up.

  She’d been surprised at his restraint. Usually, Ice didn’t go very long without wanting to have sex with her. At home, when they were alone, he made love to her at least twice a day. Sometimes more often. He had been gentle with her that morning, so sweet and loving, she’d cried. He could do that, go from wild to tender, and she craved both from him.

  He walked her over to a bench set out in the field of wildflowers Lana and Alena had originally encouraged to grow by throwing seed everywhere and hoping it worked. It had. The field had all sorts of colorful flowers blooming in the daylight hours. They seemed to close their petals at night, but it was still beautiful.

  They could look out and see the ocean, the way the surf came and went, white foam spraying high into the air as the waves crashed against the rocks. It was a very clear night, and the stars were out in abundance. The moon was nearly full, spilling its silvery light overhead, turning the sea a mesmerizing blue and the field of flowers various shades of green.

  Ice sank down on the bench, pulling her down beside him. The moment she sat, his arms went around her and he was kissing her. Transporting her. No matter how many times he kissed her, each time was that fiery slide into another world. She gave herself up to it, to him. He tasted hot, masculine, everything she wanted or needed.

  “I want your cock,” she whispered into his mouth. “I’ve wanted it all evening.”

  “Gotta earn it, baby,” he whispered back, his teeth nipping her chin and following the line of her throat to the edging of l
ace around her tank.

  Excitement welled up. “Tell me what I have to do,” she said, throwing her head back, pushing her breasts out for him to have better access. “I’ll do anything you ask.”

  “You know I like you naked. I want to see your tits and ass, princess.” He sprawled out on the bench, legs in front of him, leaning against the backrest, eyes half closed. Watching her. Making her shiver with that look on his face.

  She loved it when he talked like that. She knew the sex was going to be explosive. She didn’t hesitate. There was no reason to. They were a good distance from the others, out in the middle of the field. She could hear the laughter and the music. Several women were naked, dancing or fucking. No one paid that much attention. If they did, it was only to get off themselves, and she never had a problem with anyone seeing her worshipping her man. It was hot. Exciting. And she knew it aroused him just as unbelievably as it did her.

  She took her tank off and faced him as she removed her bra, spilling her breasts out into the open. Instantly, the cold air had her nipples stiff and hard. He beckoned her closer and she stepped between his spread thighs and leaned down, her hands cupping her breasts to offer them to him.

  Ice loved how she looked, bent over, her tits soft and round and so inviting. He waited a few heartbeats so that image would forever stay in his mind and then he leaned forward to take her left nipple into his mouth, his hand playing with the other one. He wasn’t gentle. He used his teeth and tongue ruthlessly, sucking hard and then switching to the other tit. He marked them both as he reached for the waistband of her jeans, opening the front.

  “Take them off.” He settled back in his seat to watch her shimmy the denim over her hips and down her legs.

  She’d kicked off her pull-on boots, the ones she wore often just in case he suddenly had the mad desire to bend her over his bike and wanted her naked just like this. Several times, when they were riding in the woods with only a couple of the others, he would feel like he was going to explode, and he’d stop. She never said no. Not one time. He loved that about her.

  When she was naked, he beckoned her to him again. Soleil came close and he lifted his boot. She immediately crouched down and removed it for him. He held up the other one, and she did the same. Then he stood. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the bench. When she got his jeans off, he sank back down and then patted his lap. “Lie over me, facedown.”

  For the first time she looked a little nervous, and he fucking loved that look, he loved that she still did what he said. He rubbed her beautiful, firm cheeks. “I love your ass.” He kept rubbing. “Do you remember the other morning when you started in on the money thing again and I had to shut you up by shoving my cock down your throat?”

  “Yes.”

  He was very pleased that she sounded excited. “You thought you were going to get away with it because a couple of the brothers were over for breakfast, didn’t you?”

  There was the briefest of hesitations. He knew she didn’t like the fact that they never used her money. If she wanted anything, they used his. He liked it that way. He didn’t want her ever to think that he was using her for her money, like everyone else in her life had done. Their marriage had never been about that. He gave her a little experimental swat. “Answer me, Soleil.”

  “Yes.”

  Now she was squirming. He kept rubbing more heat into her rosy cheeks. He had his jeans right next to his hand. He pulled out the little items he’d prepared. “I told you to crawl under the table and suck me off, didn’t I, baby? I think you liked that just a little too much and maybe you didn’t learn your lesson. In fact, I think you bring up money now, just so you can have my cock down your throat.”

  She didn’t respond. He stopped all movement. “Princess? Is that true? Do you do that?”

  She squirmed. “Yes.” The admission was low. “I love waking you up in the morning, but sometimes that’s just not enough for me, especially if you wake me up first.”

  “You really are a bad girl, aren’t you? Especially bringing it up when someone’s around. You like showing off, letting them see how good you are at taking care of me. Blowing me is supposed to be about me, not you showing off your skills.” He smacked her hard.

  She jumped and turned her head to glare at him. “It’s always about you. I can’t have your cock in my mouth without only thinking about making you feel good.”

  He rubbed his handprint, spreading the heat, hearing the truth in her voice, and then pushed his hand against her slick entrance, collecting the liquid. He painted it between her cheeks, over and over, and then began to push into the little star there. She gasped and wiggled but he was relentless, burying his finger to the knuckle and then deeper.

  “I decided a very hard spanking might be in order, but you like them too much, don’t you? You like anything I do to you.”

  “Yes.” She hissed it as he pushed his finger in and out of her as if he were fucking her.

  “I know you do. You like it hot, don’t you? You’re going to love this. You’re going to be so hot for me you’ll want to do anything at all. This one’s new for you, princess, but I know you’re going to love it.”

  “What did you do?” There was suspicion in her voice, but excitement too.

  He held the glass penis in front of her. “It’s nicely coated in chilled ginger. When I spank your little ass and you clench, you’re going to burn so good, honey. I’m going to paint your little clit with this juice, and you’re going to be so fuckin’ horny you’ll be begging for my cock.”

  He began to slowly insert the glass plug between her cheeks. She gasped and squirmed more. Just the sight of it disappearing all the way to the flared end sent his cock into overdrive. He wanted to fuck her with that erotic image in front of him.

  “Tell me what that feels like,” he instructed, going back to rubbing her cheeks.

  “Warm. It’s getting warmer.” There was a little hitch in her voice.

  “Good.” Without warning his hand came down on her left cheek hard.

  She yelped and clenched her ass, just as he knew she would. She gasped and blew out, forcing her body to relax.

  “I got the juice nice and cold, baby. You aren’t ready for the real thing, but do you like your surprise?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he went to work, smacking her cheeks, leaving his handprints, loving the way her soft skin went red for him.

  He looked up and across from them: several of the partyers were watching, drinking from bottles and enjoying watching her body undulate and squirm, trying to get rid of the plug. He knew he’d chosen the perfect position, with the moonlight spotlighting her curves and skin. He fantasized that they could see his handprints on her ass. The plug he’d inserted. He knew they couldn’t fail to hear her moaning pleas.

  He was finding it difficult to concentrate on spanking her hard. His cock ached. Needed attention. He wanted her mouth on him. Around him, the world began shifting just a little, shadows creeping in.

  “Ice, you have to fuck me. I’m so hot right now, burning up. You have to help me.”

  The juice, combined with the spanking, was doing its work, just the way it always did, making her so desperate she’d do anything for him. “You want my cock, don’t you, baby?”

  “Please, Ice. Yes. Please.”

  He brought her up slowly and pointed to the ground in front of him. “You keep that plug in. Hold it in place,” he cautioned. “Or we start all over again and you aren’t going to get what you want.”

  She immediately did as he instructed and came up on her knees, cupping his balls, fingers massaging gently. She didn’t need him to tell her what to do, she had spent time perfecting the art of pleasing him. Giving him everything. She did now. Just the way he knew she would. He caught her hair in his fist and lifted it up and out of the way so he could see her as she licked and kissed at his heavy balls. He knew he wasn’t th
e only one watching.

  She licked up his shaft and over the broad, flared head. It felt so fucking good he thought his head might explode. She became frantic as the ginger reached its hottest point, doing its job, making her desperate for him. She began to roll her hips as if she were riding him, making little noises that vibrated around his cock as she took him deeper. He let her do the work, watching her through half-closed eyes, enjoying the erotic sight as she fought her own body while she worked to please him.

  “Does it feel good, baby?” he asked.

  Her eyes went wide, but she didn’t let go of his cock. Not even for a moment, sucking ferociously, her mouth moving up and down on him. He didn’t want to give in to the firestorm welling up in him—not yet. He pulled on her hair, forcing her to give up what she loved.

  “Ice.” She wailed his name.

  He pointed to the bench, the side facing the clubhouse. “Crawl up here and lean back. I want one leg up on the back of the bench and the other up, thighs spread wide. I want to see that sweet little pussy begging for my cock.” In that position, her cheeks would be clenched again, once more activating the juice if the heat had simmered.

  Shadows crowded closer, and he couldn’t quite push them back. His cock throbbed and burned. She was also on display for him in all her wanton need. For all of them. Needy. Desperate. Nearly ready for anything demanded of her.

  Soleil did what he said, leaning back, one leg hooked over the bench back, her knees spread wide. He just sat there enjoying his fierce arousal, loving that his woman was so beautifully displayed, so desperately in need of his cock. He dipped his finger in the honey spilling from her and began coating his cock. Her gaze stayed fixed on his heavy erection.

  “You put this here, princess. Look at you. Everyone loves to look at you, desperate for my cock. Not sure I’m going to give it to you.”

  He began to pump his hand up and down, mesmerizing her. He’d done this a thousand times. He knew how the need grew and grew to the point he could make a woman so desperate for his cock that she’d do anything he asked. Anything. She would be out of her mind, frantic to quench that fire burning through her ass to her pussy.