Vengeance MC Box Set - Volume 2: Gage ~ Cash ~ Knight (Vengeance MC series Book 8)

by Natasha Thomas

  Zander refuses to look me in the eyes when he replies,

  “See you then,” before walking away, almost knocking a waitress over in the process. And all I can think when I watch Zander’s retreating form is, one problem down, four to go.

  *****

  I’ve always been good at breaking shit down, compartmentalizing things until I can come up with a solution, and this situation is no different. On the way over here, I made some decisions. The second, third, and fourth revolve around Kennedy. The first is regarding my brother.

  Everything Sarge said was right. Jump needs more help than I can give him, so it’s time do what I should have done months ago. Reaching into my front pocket, I pluck out my cell and dial.

  “All good?” Boss asks, answering on the first ring.

  “Yeah, fine. Kennedy’s outside with Jump, and if Zander knows what’s good for him, he’ll be at L & M at nine tomorrow morning,” I tell him.

  “Right. Since that’s sorted, you heading back this way?”

  “Not tonight, brother, but I’ve got a favor to ask.”

  “Anything,” he replies quickly.

  And that’s what the brotherhood is all about. No questions asked these men I call my family will have my back in life and death. I just have to pray that’s still true for my brother when I expose his deepest, darkest, most shameful secret.

  “Can you, Fury, Gage, Sarge, and Gunner meet me at my place at ten tomorrow?”

  “I don’t have anything pressing until two. Is that gonna give you enough time?”

  Letting go of a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, I sigh,

  “Yeah, plenty.”

  “We can wrap shit up here if you need us sooner, brother,” he offers.

  “Not necessary. Ten’s good.”

  “Then we’ll be there at ten,” he chuckles. “Now, get out to your woman before your brother tries to lure her over to the dark side.”

  “It’ll never happen, but yeah, I should head out,” I agree, adding, “I’m going to ask Kennedy to stay so that she can sit in on what I have to tell you tomorrow, so can you find someone to cover her shift at Crest Ridge?”

  “I’ll put Sly on it. I don’t think Dirty has anything doing tomorrow so he can fill in if Sly can’t get anyone else on short notice,” Boss confirms.

  “Thanks,” I mutter, making my way out into the restaurants carpark.

  Illuminated by the street lights, Kennedy throws her head back laughing at something Jump says, and I swear to God, my heart kicks in my chest at the sight. She is so fucking beautiful it hurts to look at her sometimes. All that long, wavy hair, creamy skin, and a smile that can light up a room makes me wish for things I have no business thinking about but do all the same.

  “If that’s all you’ve got for me; I’m going to let you go so I can get back to my woman. I have plans for her, and talking to your ass is eating into perfectly good kid-free fucking time,” Boss says, reminding me that he’s still on the line.

  That’s what Kennedy does to me; she makes me forget anything and everything, becoming my sole focus of my attention.

  “Well, I wouldn’t want to be the one to stand between you and a fuck-fest with your wife. You’re a grumpy bastard when you haven’t gotten any for a while,” I joke.

  “Which explains why you’re a grumpy motherfucker ninety-nine percent of the time then, doesn’t it,” Boss returns, disconnecting before I can form a response.

  I don’t head toward Kennedy and Jump right away. Instead, I take a minute to get my shit together and think about all the ways my plans for the woman currently clutching at my brother's arm, struggling to contain her laughter will play out.

  My strategy when it comes to Kennedy is simple, at least it is in my head. As soon as I decided there’s no way I can let her go, it took me less than ten minutes to formulate a three-step plan to make her mine. Permanently.

  First, I need to organize someone to look out for Talon for a few days and cover Kennedy’s shifts at Crest Ridge, that’s the easy part, though. Once that’s sorted, my next step is to take Kennedy up to the hunting cabin Jump and I bought five years ago so that I can get her alone and explain a few things to her.

  Before I can ask her to be mine – the third and final step of my brilliant plan – she deserves to know the details of my life prior to joining Vengeance. If she’ll have me after hearing me out, I intend to use every spare second we have alone to learn every inch of her luscious body with my fingers, tongue, and cock.

  I’m not in the business of deluding myself, however. Where telling my brothers about Jump’s addiction will be hard, I know winning Kennedy over will be ten times more difficult. She’s built heavily fortified walls around her heart, and breaking them down will be not only an exercise in perseverance but determination too.

  But mark my words, when I see something, or in her case, someone I want, I’ll do whatever it takes to win. And that includes playing dirty.

  *****

  “That was awesome,” Kennedy shrieks, climbing off the back of my bike. “Can we go for a longer ride next time, though please?” She asks excitedly, hugging the helmet I handed her less than twenty minutes ago to her chest.

  “Whatever you want, baby,” I grin back at her.

  I’d forgotten that I hadn’t given Kennedy a ride yet. Up until now, I’ve been using my truck whenever I have to take her or Talon anywhere. While usually I hate driving it, my F-250 has come in handy over the past month. A fact that Jump takes every opportunity to rub in, seeing as he was the one who convinced me to buy it in the first place.

  “Where’s the fire?” My brother questions, coming to a stop beside Kennedy.

  “Just wanted to get home,” I mutter. “I’m fucking wiped.”

  “Who’s watching the kid?” Jump asks, tipping his head to Talon who’s taken up residence in the wide open front door.

  “I can hear you, you know?” Talon yells. “I’m fourteen, not five. I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.”

  That may be true, but now the club has unofficially adopted him he won’t have to.

  Aislinn’s smiling face comes into view as she shoulders Talon out of the way, standing directly in front of him.

  “Did you know your kid eats more than any human being I’ve ever met? I ordered two pizzas thinking that would be enough for me, Dexter, and him and ended up having to call them back and order two more.”

  This doesn’t surprise me. The kid can eat that’s for sure. Smirking at Aislinn, I nod.

  “Yep. Went to the store three times last week and the kid still managed to empty the fridge, freezer, and pantry.”

  “It’s not my fault you only bought enough food for one,” Talon gripes.

  “Three full carts don’t lie, kid,” I grin. “You’re a fucking machine.”

  Grumbling under her breath, Kennedy says,

  “Isn’t that the truth?”

  “How about we take this show inside? It’s getting cold, and my balls are blue enough as it is,” my brother needlessly informs us.

  “Gross,” Kennedy scoffs. “There is such a thing as too much information, Jump, and you just crossed that line.”

  Grabbing her around the waist, Jump turns her in the direction of the house, completely ignoring her look of disgust.

  “Doesn’t make it any less true,” he shrugs. “What I really need is to find me a good woman that knows how to cook, doesn’t give me any lip, who loves dogs and big dicks. Know anyone like that?” Jump inquires, looking down at Kennedy.

  Kennedy flicks his arm off, and walks up to her son, placing a kiss on his cheek.

  “In your dreams, buddy. There isn’t a woman alive that would put up with you. At least, not willingly.”

  “Actually, I might know someone,” Aislinn says, breaking into their banter. “Ella, my personal assistant’s sister, Mia. I can’t attest to whether she can cook or not or if she likes big dicks, but she does love dogs seeing as she works at an animal shelter.
I don’t know her very well, on account of her being so shy, but from what I’ve witnessed, Mia’s a sweetheart. Not to mention, she’s a freaking knockout.

  “How hot are we talking? A seven, maybe eight?” Jump questions.

  Shaking her head, Aislinn laughs.

  “A definite twelve. I asked her if I could take some shots of her for my portfolio a while back because honestly, she’s that hot, even I’d consider going muff diving for her.”

  Talon sucks in a lungful of air, exhaling,

  “Wow, I’d totally pay to see that.”

  Gage appears behind him, smacking him upside the head lightly, growling,

  “If anyone’s going to watch my woman eat pussy, it’s me, but that shit isn’t happening on my watch. She has her choice of my cock or my cock, so she better choose wisely.”

  Covering her face with her hands, Kennedy mumbles something I don’t quite catch, then goes on to say,

  “All right, thanks so much for the visual, but I think it’s time to say goodnight. Say goodnight to the nice crazy people, Talon,” she instructs, dragging a grinning Talon backward into the house.

  “Night,” he beams. “See you tomorrow, Gage.”

  “Yeah, kid. I’ll pick you up at seven thirty,” he smiles, giving Talon a chin lift.

  When Kennedy and Talon have disappeared inside, I ask,

  “What’s this about you picking the kid up?”

  “I’m giving him a ride to school. He asked I said yes. Nothing more to it, brother,” he states plainly.

  “Don’t worry about him,” Jump tells him, punching me none too gently in the arm. “He’s just pissy because his little boy is growing up and taking lifts from strangers.”

  Hitting him back, I groan,

  “Fuck me. Sometimes dealing with you is like dealing with ten hyperactive kindergarteners after each of them demolishes a box of Twinkies.”

  Aislinn winks at me, before taking her husband’s hand and pulling him down the stairs toward his bike.

  “Well, if you don’t need us for anything else?” She prompts with a look in her eyes that dares us to answer yes.

  “Of course, I do,” my brother pouts. “This Mia chick, I need her number before you take off.”

  Throwing her leg over Gage’s bike, straddling the powerful machine, Aislinn purses her lips.

  “Ella’s taking some time off since she’s about ready to pop,” she says, referring to Ella and her boyfriend Josh’s imminent arrival. “Mia is going to be filling in for her as my personal assistant until Ella’s ready to come back to work. Since I’ve got that big shoot in Havenbrook next week, I asked her to come out beforehand so that she’s here to help me. The job is too big for one person, and I’ve got heaps of gear. Not to mention, I need to get her up to speed on what my calendar looks like for the following few months.”

  “And this explanation gets me her number, how?” Jump prods.

  “It doesn’t,” Aislinn shrugs. “You’ll get a chance to meet her when she gets here, but I’m warning you playboy; keep your hands, mouth, and dick to yourself. Mia isn’t like your usual type.”

  Pretending to be mortally offended, my brother clutches his chest and gasps,

  “I’m wounded, slugger. You certainly know how to kick a man when he’s down, don’t you?”

  Scoffing at the ridiculousness of his statement, Aislinn narrows her eyes at him and repeats,

  “I mean it, Jump. Mia isn’t a play thing. She’s a sweet, caring girl with shitty luck who needs friends, not a guy who’s only interested in getting his dick wet. Stay away from her, or one of my five-inch heels will accidentally end up impaling your two-inch cock.”

  Out of pure reflex, Jump covers his junk and winces.

  “Whatever you say, slugger. You’re the boss.”

  When Gage’s bike is nothing but a taillight glowing in the distance, Jump turns to me and lets out a long sigh.

  “Seriously, I don’t know why Aislinn told me about her is she’s off-limits. That shit just doesn’t make sense.”

  Patting him roughly on the back, I chuckle at his genuine confusion.

  “Aislinn might have said that this chick is the kind of girl you’re looking for, but if you read between the lines, she was pretty clear that Mia’s got more issues than a man like you can handle.” I grip his shoulder, halting him in his track before adding, “Think about it, little brother. And when I say that, I mean really fucking think about it. You’ve got enough problems of your own without taking on someone else’s. Especially if all this girl will be to you is another pussy to get lost in for a couple of hours.”

  I drop my keys on the hall table, emptying my pockets of my wallet, a few receipts, and the spare clip for my backup piece.

  “You need to sort your shit out first, Pat,” I urge, using his given name so he knows how serious I am. “Don’t drag an innocent woman down with you because you’re bored and horny.”

  “Yeah, and you can talk. That woman up there,” he sneers, pointing upstairs, “is half in love with you, and doesn’t have the first fucking clue about your past or who you really are.” Running his hands through his hair, Jump continues. “You whored yourself out to a sick bitch who used you as a sex slave to perform on demand whenever the mood struck her, brother. And albeit, I know why they don’t. No one does. You tell me to handle my shit before dragging a woman into it, maybe you should take some of your own advice and tell her before it’s too late.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I snarl, taking a step toward him.

  “Nothing. Just that you should probably look in the mirror before you start fucking judging me, Marsh. I like her. Fuck, I more than like her; I love her.” At the low, menacing growl that leaves my throat, my brother quickly goes on to say, “Jesus, not for me; for you. I love her for you. Ever since Kennedy and Talon showed up in Furnace, you’ve been different. Good different. You smile more. You laugh sometimes. Shit, you’re happier than I can ever remember you being, and that includes when we were kids, and mom was still around. I want that for you, brother. With everything in me, I want you to be happy, fall in love, have kids and all that good shit. I’ve known for years that life isn’t for me. Talon’s a cool kid, and I enjoy hanging with him, but I’ve never wanted kids of my own; you do. Do you remember what you told me when you were seventeen?”

  “Yeah, I remember,” I mumble, knowing exactly where he’s going with this.

  “You said that when you find the right girl, you’ll just know it. You’ll look into her eyes and know that she’s the one you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with. Then you came home from work one night and you were different, and I just knew you’d found her,” he reminds me, not that he needs to because that conversation is one I’ll never forget.

  “I can remember thinking, God, I wish I was like, Marsh. I wish I believed that there was a woman out there who’d be willing to take on a guy with a literal broken heart, a shit ton of baggage that has a short expiry date.”

  “Fuck, Pat,” I hiss. “Don’t say shit like that. The doctors told you as long as you’re careful and keep going in for regular checkups you could outlive us all.”

  A harsh, humorless bark of laughter escapes him, and he quirks an eyebrow at me.

  “If you believe that, then you’re delusional too. Valves last fifteen years, Cash, and I’m coming up on that deadline fast. Who knows what the fuck the scan I’m due to have next month is gonna say. I could get another five years out of it or five days, your guess is as good as mine.”

  Looking him directly in the eyes, staring at him like he’s lost his mind, I demand,

  “Listen to me. Money’s not an issue anymore. We’ve got plenty, and if needs be, I’ll spend every last fucking cent to ensure you’re around to piss me off when we’re old and gray.”

  “You don’t get it, do you?” Jump snorts. “I’m an addict, Cash. A fucking junkie. No surgeon in his right mind will operate on me.”

  “Then get cle
an,” I implore him. “Get clean and give yourself a fighting chance.”

  I don’t get the opportunity to say anything else before my brother turns his back on me and groans,

  “If only it were that easy.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ~ Kennedy ~

  “You wanna know the hardest job ever? Me working in a bubble wrap factory. Can you imagine the self-control I’d need?”

  – Talon to his Mom

  I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping. It’s wrong and a complete invasion of their privacy. But truthfully, I couldn’t force myself to walk away once I heard the subject of the conversation if my life depended on it.

  Hearing Jump say that Cash was taken advantage of was as if someone had reached inside my chest and ripped out my heart. And while it shouldn’t be comforting to know even the small amount I do about what happened to him, I can’t help what I feel.

  Cash comes across so strong, intimidating, invincible really that imagining him as vulnerable is virtually impossible. He prides himself on being in control at all times, and now I know why. At one time, his power, his choices, his freedom was taken from him – a lot like mine was – and in the years since he regained what he lost, Cash’s coping mechanism has been to go to the other extreme. Complete and utter control at all costs.