Toxic Vengeance

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Toxic Vengeance Page 23

by Kaylea Cross


  Eden smiled against his shoulder and closed her eyes, memorizing everything about the perfection of the moment. Finally saying the words was liberating, helping her shed some of the chains from her past. Zack was her future, she was done with holding back.

  After a moment he eased back to study her, mischief twinkling in his eyes. “I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess ambrosia’s toxic too?”

  “Yes, but you’ll be safe, I promise.”

  “Okay then, pin it on me so we can get this show on the road. Sooner it’s done, sooner I can get you all to myself again.”

  She couldn’t help the stupid, sappy smile on her face as she pinned it to his lapel. “I’m going to plant a lot of this in my garden.” She had big plans for it. Oleander, foxgloves and wisteria were a necessity to honor her grandma.

  Only she wasn’t sure if she and the others would still be here in spring. So much could happen between now and then. As soon as they got a solid lock on Rahman and an ID on the Architect, they could start planning an end game.

  “Hey.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, brought her gaze up to his. “Whether we’re still here in the spring or not, it doesn’t matter. I’ll help you plant a poison garden wherever we wind up.”

  That probably wasn’t romantic to most people, but to her it was, and underscored just why she’d fallen in love with him. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He leaned in for another kiss, then swatted her butt. “Let’s get in there before all the good seats are gone.”

  She laced her fingers through his, filled with joy and excitement about the event she was about to witness. As incredible as it seemed, she was finally part of a family, unconventional though it may be.

  Chloe came rushing in, her hair swept up in a sophisticated twist, wearing a skin-tight purple dress that made Heath’s eyes pop out. “You like?” she asked him with a smile, twirling so he could see everything.

  “Hell yeah, I like, firecracker,” he growled, and Eden shared a secret smile with Zack.

  Jesse arrived. Trinity came in next, leading Karas. The dog had a big bow made of the same lavender ribbon Eden had used on the bouquets tied around her neck. “Ring bearer’s here,” Trinity said, giving Karas a pat.

  The minister stepped inside a moment later, ushered to the arbor at the front by Trinity. “I think we’re ready.”

  Music started playing from speakers around the conservatory, a classical piece Eden couldn’t name but recognized. Jesse pulled out his phone to start recording just as Ty appeared in the doorway in his tux, the lavender rose in his boutonnière symbolizing love and adoration. He smiled at them all as he walked up to meet the minister, followed by Heath, who was acting as best man.

  Amber came next, dressed in a lavender gown, her long brown hair swept up and Eden’s bouquet in her hands. She came down the aisle slowly, matching her pace to the music. She aimed a wink at Jesse on the way by, and stopped opposite Heath at the arbor.

  The music paused and everyone turned as the bride stepped inside. Eden put a hand to her chest, overwhelmed by the sight of her fellow Valkyrie standing beside Marcus, handsome as hell in his tux, his cane in his right hand.

  A different piece of music began. Smiling down at Megan, Marcus offered her his arm.

  “Aww,” Eden and Kiyomi whispered together.

  Eden leaned closer to Zack, a lump in her throat. “I didn’t know he was giving her away. Aww.”

  Zack grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Such a romantic under that tough exterior. You’re not gonna cry, right?”

  “Not unless you want me to punch you in front of everyone.”

  Marcus gave Karas a quiet command. The dog immediately jumped up and padded down the aisle, mouth open in a doggy grin. Marcus escorted Megan up the aisle, stopping in front of Ty. After lifting Megan’s veil he turned to shake Ty’s hand, a solemn, unspoken vow passing between the two of them.

  Hurt her and you’ll deal with me, Marcus’s expression said, and no one in their right mind would take on the former SAS member.

  The lump in Eden’s throat grew bigger, threatened to choke her when Ty took Megan’s hand, the smile on their faces so beautiful it almost hurt to look at them.

  The minster began the ceremony and said a prayer. Megan and Ty exchanged vows next, then Heath bent and untied the rings from Karas’s ribbon collar.

  The bride and groom exchanged rings. Eden’s heart beat faster, squeezing Zack’s fingers tighter and tighter without realizing it.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife,” the minister declared. “You may kiss the bride.”

  Eden sucked in a shaky breath as Ty took Megan’s face in his hands and bent to kiss her. Zack squeezed her tighter to his side and suddenly a tissue was thrust in front of her face.

  “Thank you,” she choked out to Kiyomi, dabbing at her eyes and sniffing.

  The moment Ty and Megan broke apart and turned to face them, everyone shot to their feet. Applause and cheers filled the conservatory, amplified in the small space. Hugs and handshakes were doled out, then Chloe grabbed all the women and dragged them into a knot in the center of the room.

  “Bitchilantes ride or die!” she cried.

  “Ride or die!” they all chorused back, and Eden found herself laughing.

  Trinity wrapped an arm around Eden’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze, her deep blue eyes sincere. “We’ve all got your back, lady. Forever.”

  “Fuck yeah,” Chloe answered, looking juiced, as though she was itching to find a target to blow up.

  A quivering sensation hit Eden deep in her chest. “And I’ve got your backs too.” These incredible women were her family now. They’d all faced insurmountable odds and survived. They would stand together, take on hell itself to protect each other, along with the exceptional men in this room.

  It was the best feeling in the world.

  “That sounds like trouble,” Zack said to Ty from behind her.

  “Brother, you know it,” Ty said.

  Everyone filed outside to head back into the manor for the reception. Eden and Zack were the last to leave.

  At the door he stopped her, gazing down at her with an expression full of tenderness. “So what did you think of your first wedding, my little romantic?”

  “Loved it.” Ty and Megan looked so happy. So perfect for each other.

  “That’s gonna be us someday, sweetness,” he said, the conviction in his voice turning her heart inside out.

  Eden flushed and lowered her gaze, secretly thrilled that he was already thinking along those lines even with all the uncertainty that lay ahead. While she might never have allowed herself to dream of anything like that before … Now it was different.

  Because she had Zack, and he would stand with her always.

  —The End—

  Dear reader,

  Thank you for reading Toxic Vengeance. I hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to stay in touch with me and be the first to learn about new releases you can:

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  Happy reading,

  Kaylea

  Excerpt from

  Beautiful Vengeance

  Vengeance Series

  By Kaylea Cross

  Copyright © 2020 Kaylea Cross

  Prologue

  He’s coming.

  At the sound of the footsteps moving overhead, Kiyomi struggled to open her eyes. The lids were so swollen her field of vision was reduced to a single tiny strip on the left side. Fear crawled through her, foreign and terrifying.

  Chains rattled as she gingerly turned onto her belly, t
he manacles around her wrists and ankles biting into her skin as she faced the front of her iron cage. A shadowed staircase stood mere feet away in the dim room. In moments he would appear in the doorway at the top and advance down those stairs.

  Her entire body ached from the deep bruises he’d already inflicted all over her. The shimmering gold lamé dress she’d worn to the private party a few nights ago was now torn and filthy. She shivered, pushed up a bit on her right arm, struggling to overcome the weakness that hung over her like a fog. Through the gloom she was able to make out the shape of the woman lying in the cage next to hers.

  She was still curled into a ball, appearing not to have changed position since Kiyomi had passed out.

  “Hannah,” she whispered, blood trickling over her tongue as the cut in her lip broke open. The other Valkyrie didn’t move or respond in any way. She was probably dead by now.

  The unexpected pang of empathy caught Kiyomi off guard. She had come here to kill Hannah because Hannah had killed Kiyomi’s best friend, and had wound up Rahman’s personal captive instead. Now he and his men appeared to have taken care of Hannah for her. The other Valkyrie’s suffering was over, while Kiyomi’s was only just beginning. She’d betrayed Rahman, made him fall in love with her, and he would make her hurt for it.

  The footsteps upstairs drew closer to the door.

  Kiyomi’s flesh crawled at the knowledge of what was coming. He wanted to break her. Not just physically. Mentally and emotionally too. He wanted to watch her break, hear her beg him for mercy.

  She’d die before she gave him the satisfaction of either.

  The door opened. She stayed completely still, gathering her remaining strength to endure what was coming.

  His silhouette appeared in the doorway. She squinted when he switched on the lights, the sudden brightness piercing her sore eyes. The door shut and he started down the steps in slow, measured steps as her eyes adjusted.

  He was dressed as he always was. Immaculate in his custom-made suit, his white dress shirt open at the neck and startlingly bright against his bronze skin. He was clean-shaven, his dark hair perfect, swept off his forehead and without a trace of gray in it yet, though he was in his mid-thirties. “You’re awake. Good.” Satisfaction and anticipation dripped from every word.

  He had something in his hand.

  She stared at it as he drew nearer, stepping out of the shadows and into the light. Something round.

  Then he reached the bottom of the stairs and turned toward her. Rage and helplessness exploded inside her when she saw what he held.

  A coiled bullwhip.

  He glanced briefly at Hannah, dismissed her a heartbeat later and turned to stare down at Kiyomi, a half-smile on his handsome face. Shrugging out of his jacket with slow deliberation, he let her see the whip.

  “I know what you are,” he said as he came to stand in front of her cage.

  Cold rippled through her. He’d seen the brand on her hip. Did he now know what it meant? Or did he just think he did?

  He stood there staring down at her for a long moment, his chilling gaze filled with rage and lust as he let the silence drag out. Underscoring the lopsided power dynamic between them. His control pitted against her helplessness.

  Revulsion slid through her as she recalled what had passed between them. Him touching her intimately, her pleasuring him all those times, taking him inside, acting the ecstatic lover while she made her mind go elsewhere. Lying next to him in his bed night after night, waiting for him to reach for her. Playing the role of worshipful sycophant she’d chosen to gain entry into his world in order to get within striking distance of Hannah. All the while, waiting. Waiting.

  He’d fallen for it completely, believing she revered him and his body, that she couldn’t get enough of him. That she was falling in love with him.

  Then everything had gone horribly, irrevocably wrong.

  The terrible memories of her capture four nights ago flashed through her mind as he unlocked the cage door and swung it open.

  She forced herself to lie still and not react as he came to stand above her, filled with hatred as she stared up at him through her slitted eye. Only a pathetic coward would chain a woman down so he could beat her. And that’s exactly what Fayez Rahman was, even if he wasn’t stupid. Because he knew if she hadn’t been chained, she would kill him.

  He was more afraid of her even than he was obsessed with her. And his fear was the only comfort she had in this terrible, desolate moment.

  “I’m going to send you back to your maker.” An evil smirk split his face, the outline of an erection pressing against the front of his pants. “The one who created you.”

  She braced for the pain and stared defiantly up into those dark, cruel eyes, refusing to cower or let him think he’d won. His taunting words were an empty threat. He wouldn’t kill her. He was too afraid of the wealthy buyer he had lined up for her to do that, the one he’d taunted her with for the past three days. But anything short of death was fair game…

  Anything short of death, she could handle. She had no other choice.

  Her training kicked in. The only thing stopping her from cowering now.

  You can take this, Valkyrie. Separate your mind and body. Don’t give him the satisfaction of reacting, no matter what he does.

  Rahman relaxed his fist, allowing the long tail of the bullwhip to touch the concrete floor. He gave a deliberate flick of his wrist, making the leather slither back and forth over the concrete like a snake ready to strike. Then he raised his arm, lifting the braided handle high.

  Kiyomi bit down hard to keep from crying out as it snapped across the skin between her shoulder blades. Fire raced along her nerve endings. She sucked in a breath and tensed, clenching her teeth and fists as she awaited the next blow. She fought to stay above the pain, to let her mind float free. But as she did, she made a vow to herself.

  You will not break me. But one day, I’ll kill you for this.

  Someday, she would stare down into those evil, dark eyes. She would watch his triumph turn to shock and then abject terror just before she snuffed the life from him.

  *End Excerpt*

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and has been nominated multiple times for the National Readers’ Choice Awards. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.

  You can visit Kaylea at www.kayleacross.com. If you would like to be notified of future releases, please join her newsletter.

  Direct link: http://kayleacross.com/v2/newsletter/

  COMPLETE BOOKLIST

  ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

  Vengeance Series

  Stealing Vengeance

  Covert Vengeance

  Explosive Vengeance

  Toxic Vengeance

  Beautiful Vengeance

  Crimson Point Series

  Fractured Honor

  Buried Lies

  Shattered Vows

  Rocky Ground

  DEA FAST Series

  Falling Fast

  Fast Kill

  Stand Fast

  Strike Fast

  Fast Fury

  Fast Justice

  Fast Vengeance

  Colebrook Siblings Trilogy

  Brody’s Vow

  Wyatt’s Stand

  Easton’s Claim

  Hostage Rescue Team Series

  Marked

  Targeted

  Hunted

  Disavowed

  Avenged

  Exposed

  Seized

  Wanted

  Betrayed

  Reclaimed

  Shattered

  Guarded

  Titanium Security Series
>
  Ignited

  Singed

  Burned

  Extinguished

  Rekindled

  Blindsided: A Titanium Christmas novella

  Bagram Special Ops Series

  Deadly Descent

  Tactical Strike

  Lethal Pursuit

  Danger Close

  Collateral Damage

  Never Surrender (a MacKenzie Family novella)

  Suspense Series

  Out of Her League

  Cover of Darkness

  No Turning Back

  Relentless

  Absolution

  PARANORMAL ROMANCE

  Empowered Series

  Darkest Caress

  HISTORICAL ROMANCE

  The Vacant Chair

  EROTIC ROMANCE (writing as Callie Croix)

  Deacon’s Touch

  Dillon’s Claim

  No Holds Barred

  Touch Me

  Let Me In

  Covert Seduction

 

 

 


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