Starving For Vengeance
Page 1
Starving For Vengeance
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Starving For Vengeance
1st Digital release: Copyright© 2014 Debra Kayn
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Debra Kayn. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
www.debrakayn.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine
Chapter Thirty
The End
Chapter One
Author Bio
Debra Kayn's Backlist
Dedication
Wheels — It only gets better and better. Thanks for all the play dates!
The Crew — I love you.
Kim and Shauna — Between interpretive dance, cheesecakes, support, friendship, and a deep understanding of my vision for this series, I stay sane because of both of you. Thank you so much!
To the members of CSC — Let's roll...
To My Readers —
When I wrote the first Bantorus MC book, I planned a series. Each book a full novel with a happily ever after, and a new couple in each book. Perfect, right? Four books was a good number, but I knew I couldn't end after Grasping For Freedom. So, I opened a Bantorus MC in Federal, Idaho and breathed new life into the series, while retaining the same bikers, the same family, the same storyline.
This is the 7th book in the series. Lee's story. The biker that seemed unredeemable at first, until I started listening to what he wasn't telling me. Sometimes, you have to do what you believe is right, even if it's wrong. No matter what, we should all do whatever we can for the people that we love...and that's what Lee did, to the cost of losing himself. I hope you enjoy reading how he ends up with his happily ever after as much as I enjoyed giving him one.
I'm not going to keep the next book secret. Ink will get his book. With Ink's story, I'll write 'The End' to the Bantorus MC series. Don't worry. After you read Ink's book, you'll be ready to move on...new bikers, new MC, and I'm staying in Federal. Get ready, because madness is only beginning.
Chapter One
Four rapid-fire gun blasts came from behind the Federal Charter's clubhouse. Lee Ramchett skipped the front door, and walked along the outside of the building toward the soft glow of what he suspected was a bonfire on a Friday night. Nothing made his MC brothers happier than shooting a few rounds from one of the rifles the MC planned to sell to the Lightfoot militia, a roaring bonfire, and partying with the Bantorus bitches.
Except maybe, their customized Harley Davidson motorcycles.
The fire lit the gravel area between the club and the warehouse, formally an old silver mine long abandoned until Kurt, Lee's older brother, bought and restored the outbuildings for the club's personal use. Lee found his MC brothers. Half of them stood in front of the strand of fir trees, passing a rifle back and forth. The others hung out with the girls by the fire, helping to keep them warm. Lee headed toward the drinks table by the back door of the club. Usually he came in too late to join the party.
He grabbed a red Solo cup and moved over to the keg. A dribble came out the tap. He gripped the rim of the barrel and rocked the container. The son of a bitch was empty.
He tossed his cup toward the garbage can. Obviously, his MC brothers started partying without him hours ago.
Kurt nudged Lee's arm and held out a bottle of whiskey. "All yours, little brother."
"Thanks." Lee lifted the bottle to his lips and took a healthy swig. "Looks like the party is almost over."
"Yeah." Kurt gazed over at his wife, Risa.
The lines around Kurt's mouth deepened. Lee studied his older brother—almost a splitting image of his dad when he was younger, except for the darkness underneath Kurt's eyes lately. Those weren't from fighting in the ring either, because Kurt never let anyone close enough to do any damage.
"Everything okay?" Lee asked.
Kurt's jaw twitched. "My old lady's got a kid in her."
"No shit?" Lee looked over at his sister-in-law.
Risa stood with the Silver Girls, her content smile and her relaxed stance summed up how she felt about the pregnancy. Lee slapped his hand down on his older brother's back, happy at the thought that he would be an uncle for the first time in his life.
"Congratulations, man." Lee grinned. The news shook off his bad mood.
Kurt lifted his hand and massaged his knuckles. "Thanks."
"Have you told Dad and Taylor yet?" Lee asked.
"We're calling them in the morning. I wanted to tell you first." Kurt turned toward him. "A kid, bro. What do I know about raising a kid?"
Lee grabbed Kurt's thick muscled neck and squeezed. "You practically raised me, even though you were a kid yourself. You're going to be a great dad."
Kurt inhaled deeply, nodded, and accepted Lee's opinion. "I hope so."
There was no doubt Kurt had the maturity, experience, and patience to be a hands on father. Kurt's honor and devotion to his family outshined everyone in the club. It'd been that way since they were kids. Before they went to live full time with their dad, Kurt took the place of their negligent mother and made sure Lee was fed, loved, and safe at all times.
Lee squeezed Kurt's shoulder in support. He admired what his brother had built around him. Kurt had moved forward in his life and faced his fears, while Lee ran his whole life attempting to keep the possible from happening.
While Kurt threw himself into Bantorus, Lee ran in the opposite direction. It wasn't until Raul Sanchez, one of his dad's MC brothers, sat Lee down almost nine years ago and gave him an offer to be a consultant for the Feds that he found a purpose in his life. The offer came with an inside track to seek vengeance on Los Li, the strong arm of the Mexican mafia on the states side. He'd accepted the job, and never looked back.
Until now.
He returned to his MC family after riding nomad for sixteen years, working for the Feds, and he struggled with coming around full circle. Old memories cropped up, new fears kept him awake, and he questioned his role within the club. He gazed at the Silver Girls, hanging out with the bikers. His craving to get drunk and forget what he was here for hit him square in the chest.
Tango, his only contact with the government, schooled him on how to gain information on Los Li that prevented more people from getting hurt, or worse, killed. When the chance to take down a member of the Mexican mafia with Tango's approval came his way, he took the opportunity, every single time.
He'd lost track of how many men he'd killed. Men who'd hurt, sold, raped, and tortured women. Men who'd hurt his family, his club, his foundation.
Lee held up the whiskey bottle and drank until he quenched his thirst. For his plan to work against Los Li, he had to protect the weak link that could put the club in danger. That weakness within the club could ruin Bantorus MC if Los Li got wind of who they were protecting.
He gazed at the woman he'd promised Tango to protect with his life. A Bantorus bitch who the club only knew by the name Shari Dunley, a Silver Girl.
Lee knew her as Shari Tango. Tango's niece.
None of the members of the Federal Charter was aware of Shari's connection with Tango. He wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. It was his job to keep her secret safe, while he waited for word that it was time to finally end the war with Los Li.
"What's keeping you here, bro," Kurt asked, sweeping his long hair out of his eyes.
"Family. Mountains." Lee smiled, distracting his brother. "Women."
Kurt raised his brows. "Which one?"
"All of them if I find the time," he said, taking in Shari's long hair blowing in the wind and her round, tight ass tempting him. "Tell me about the blonde...Shari."
"She's the oldest out of the girls. Almost a mother hen when it comes to the club." Kurt rubbed his jaw and grunted. "Risa's closest with her. They're good friends."
"Good to know," Lee said. He wasn't issuing a challenge or making a bet. His days of setting stakes to see who won the popular chick were over.
Kurt lowered his voice. "You've been gone a long time. Don't come back and treat the bitches like the women you're used to hanging out with. Respect goes a long way here."
"Not going to have a lot of time to do shit, and you don't have to worry about me. I'm not interested in spending time getting to know any of them past the bedroom," he said, turning his head. "It's important that you keep what I do between us. I can't afford anyone slipping up."
"So, your stay here is business and not because you've decided to put on the patch and become a lifer like you were born to do," Kurt said.
Lee glanced at him and grinned. "Business and then pleasure."
"Fuck." Kurt turned his back to the others. "Talk."
"You're going to have to trust me. It's a long story."
"Bullshit." Kurt leaned in. "You don't involve my club in your business."
Lee took another drink, held the liquid in his mouth, and swallowed. "Bantorus has been the Fed's business our whole lives. If you're denying that, you're fucking crazy. We both have a common problem, and now heat is rising, and we're close, man."
"We, as in Bantorus, or we, as in the Feds?" Kurt asked. "Your loyalty is divided."
"Feds." He spotted Remmy walking behind Kurt and lifted his chin, waiting until the older Bantorus member was out of hearing range. "My loyalty to the club has never wavered. Los Li's going down. I can't tell you anymore, but I swear my business here is all about keeping Bantorus clear of the dust settling. Nobody is going to hurt another member of our family."
"What about Shari?" Kurt said, gritting his teeth.
"Innocent." Lee looked at the woman who was the center of attention. "She was planted in Federal to keep her safe. Fucking luck got her inside Bantorus as one of the bitches. Right now, the club is the best place for her to be. We're going to end the war for good this time, bro. I will have payback. Bantorus members and their old ladies will finally be able to wake up each morning and the first thing on all of our minds will be pussy, not Los Li."
"Jesus Christ," Kurt mumbled, thrusting his hand through his hair. "I got my old lady knocked up, and shit's falling apart."
"Risa will be fine. You'll all be fine." Lee laid his hand on the butt of his pistol hanging from his hip. "Now go get your old lady and take her home. You shouldn't be here partying or worrying about what you don't know. Not tonight when you should be celebrating with your woman."
"Are you sticking around?" Kurt asked.
The tightness in Lee's chest magnified. He had no other choice than to stick around. He also couldn't blame his brother for asking.
For the last three weeks, he'd left the club before anyone else crawled out of bed for the day and rode in after everyone hit the sack. Tonight was the first time he'd arrived back to find everyone still up and partying.
"I'm staying," Lee said.
"Good," Kurt said before walking away.
Lee watched his brother join Risa, claim his woman, and lead her up the gravel path toward their home behind the club, set high in the Bitterroot Mountain. He was happy for them.
He envied what his brother had in the best way possible. Kurt had stepped into the role of president for the Bantorus MC, Federal Charter, with a goal he never wavered from, despite the many hardships the first year. Los Li had scarred Risa soon after Bantorus hit town, and a year later, Remmy was beaten and almost killed. During that time, Kurt'd held on, and quickly brought in more prospects. Soon the club would be twice the original size and twice as powerful.
One of the Silver Girls laughed, breaking through the night with a sweet sound that would make any man feel content. Lee focused on Shari. It was her laughter that gained everyone's attention. The men's gaze followed her as she smiled over her shoulder and walked away from the group around the bonfire.
Light on her feet, Shari headed toward Lee. He lifted the bottle of whiskey and took another drink.
She approached the table beside him, smiled, and proceeded to mix a Fireball with lemonade. He eyed her openly. Under what little clothes she wore, her tight curves hypnotized him. A sweet rush of pleasure swept through him, tingling down his spine.
Out of all the information Tango gave him on Shari —which wasn't much— he couldn't figure out the one thing that bugged him. How the hell had Tango convinced Shari to show up in Federal, start working for Risa at Silver Girls —dancing in town for the miners, and when the Sterling Building burnt down, move right into being one of the bitches for Bantorus without blowing her cover?
He could only assume Shari was someone else's bitch before coming to Federal, and Tango forgot to mention that little fact to him.
"Hey." Shari held up the bottle of Fireball. "Want me to pour you one?"
He held up the bottle of whiskey. "I'm good."
"Yeah, I bet you are." She smiled, giving her hair a shake and letting the sun streaked blonde strands fall down her back. "It's good you're here...for Kurt. Family's important to him."
"Are you telling me what my brother thinks?" He set the bottle on the table and stepped closer.
She dropped her gaze to his chest and her perfectly arched brows lifted before she brought her dark blue eyes back to his face. "I'm telling you what you already know."
Smart answer. A woman who lived her life around pleasing Bantorus members had better know her place. Involving herself between members, or brothers in this case, would get her sent out of the club. She'd lose her protection, her income, her livelihood.
Shari continued to gaze up at him, a little too long, a little too curious, and a lot too sexy for her own good. His cock pulsed, taking the attention she directed at him and running wild with ideas of what he'd like to do with her.
He shifted his body, looped an arm over her shoulders, and took what she could offer him. "Come get some, doll."
Her arm circled his waist and she said, "Doll?"
He laughed, because there was no hiding the insult in her voice. He respected the Bantorus bitches, like all members did, but nobody was going to pussy foot around the truth. The Silver Girls were here to keep the men happy.
He trailed his fing
er around her chin. "Your face and your big blue eyes looking up at me. You're damn near perfect. A man can't help but keep looking at you."
A soft snort escaped her, and she smiled in amusement. "Keep sweet talking, honey."
He leaned closer to study her closer. "What? You don't believe me?"
"Oh, I'm hearing you." She patted his stomach. "You're a charmer."
His arm dropped from her shoulder and he reached for the whiskey. His gut churned. He obviously needed more to drink. He gulped and put the bottle back down. Hell, sharing a woman his MC brothers spent time with never bothered him before. Sex was sex, and only served one purpose.
Since Shari was at the top of his watch list, he pushed aside his interest in the sexy blonde. "Yeah, well, I'm not like the other bikers."
"A nomad," Shari said.
He leaned back against the table and crossed his arms, alerted at the way she tossed information out at him. "Apparently you know more than the prospects."
She laughed and the sound weaved around him, making him feel whiskey drunk. "Don't worry. I know more about you."
"Really?"
She pursed her lips, kept her thoughts to herself, and then finally continued. "You're Kurt's little brother. Slade and Taylor love you, and when you show up, shit happens."
He gazed at her mouth, fascinated by the way her two front teeth slightly overlapped. That small imperfection on a flawless face made her even sexier to him, it almost hurt.
"What kind of shit happens?" he asked.
She shrugged. "The guys go serious, and we go in lockdown. This last time, when Remmy went missing, was tough on everyone."
"Hm." He looked through the crowd and spotted Remmy standing behind Natalie. "Remmy looks fine to me."
His MC brother had his woman wrapped in his arms and a smile on his face. For the first time in a long time, Remmy seemed calm and satisfied to be with one woman, instead of playing the field and hopping beds. Married life agreed with him.
"Remmy's a good guy. One of the best men I know." Shari sighed.
The longing exhale coming from her surprised him. He reached out and tipped her chin, making her look at him. If he hadn't been paying attention, he would've missed it. Every one of the Silver Girls knew their role within the club. They were here to entertain the men, and while every woman had the right to say no, he'd never ran into a bitch who ever uttered the word.