Vengeance: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (The Blackthorn Brothers Book 3)

by Cali MacKay

  “Almost done.” Ignoring my unease about my lack of funds, he paid for my new wardrobe, and then grabbed me by the hand, and dragged me off to an outdoor gear store. “You still need warm, waterproof hiking boots, decent gloves, a hat, and a good winter jacket.”

  “Where the hell are we going? Alaska?” I let out a laugh as I shook my head.

  What the hell was wrong with me? I was now laughing with the guy? Though I supposed that having a good time with Locke would help him relax around me and would get him to lower his guard.

  Locke seemed to like the easiness between us too, since he gave me a huge grin, reaching out and squeezing my hand. “Just heading to the mountains, baby. But it’s the tail end of winter, and storms are still a regular occurrence. Best to have the stuff, just in case you need it, than to get stuck without it.”

  Luckily, it didn’t take long for us to finish picking up everything we needed. We even managed to get back to the car in just over an hour, though I was still half-surprised that Bear hadn’t eaten his way through the car’s seats and the dashboard. From what I could tell, he was still fairly young, and in my experience, dogs that young weren’t usually this well-behaved.

  “Locke. I think I used to have dogs. Not that it tells me anything of real importance.” It was a little detail, but I figured it might help bolster my story. And though I felt like an asshole for lying to Locke when he’d been nothing but sweet and helpful, I held onto the loss of my family and reminded myself that I was doing this for them.

  I needed to get to the bottom of this. I needed to figure out who pushed my father over the edge. Maybe it wasn’t Locke—though that didn’t automatically mean that the rest of his family was in the clear. All the evidence pointed to the Blackthorns, and that meant that, at the very least, they’d played a hand in my family’s demise.

  Locke pulled me from my thoughts with a smile that lit up his blue eyes. “It tells me that you’re an animal lover—though that was already pretty evident. Bear tends to be a good judge of character, and he wouldn’t go and sleep outside just anyone’s door. But it also means that your memory might be slowly coming back—and that will give us more information to go on so we can keep you safe.”

  The tone of his voice was fiercely protective, making my heart race as I tried to ignore the electric tension between us. And when he tossed me another charming smile, it had me wondering how he could possibly be single. Because Locke wasn’t just sweet and kind, much to my surprise, he was also strikingly handsome in a rugged and carefree way, with tousled brown hair and a jawline covered in several days’ worth of scruff.

  I could really fall for him—except that there was no fucking way any of these thoughts should even be crossing my mind. I was here for one reason and one reason alone, and I needed to stay focused.

  Maybe in another lifetime…if he wasn’t who he was, and I hadn’t lost everything.

  This was the man I was supposed to hate. Except that he was making it damn hard for me not to second-guess everything I’d thought about him and his family.

  “Hey…you okay? What’s going on?” He gently brushed his hand down my arm, giving me a worried look as I realized that my mask must have fallen as I’d wrestled with my thoughts.

  I shook it off, and managed a smile, reminding myself of who I was supposed to be at the moment. I was Emie—not Emily. “I’m fine…just had a moment. Guess the drugs are still working their way out of my system.”

  “You have me worried about you.” Locke ran his hand down my arm, knotting his fingers with mine, his brow furrowed with genuine concern.

  I was hit with a wave of guilt, but forced myself to shake it off, managing a smile and doing my best to remind myself of why I was here…why I’d gone through all this trouble… And I thought of my sister, Clara, who would have grown to be brilliant at whatever she’d decided to do, if her life hadn’t been stolen from her.

  “Don’t be. I’m sure this will all pass before long, though it’s really sweet of you to worry.” And it truly was, which was why my plans were going to hell.

  I was left to struggle with my thoughts as we hopped back on the road. We made another quick stop at a grocery store a few hours into our trip, and before long we were pulling up in front of an amazing mountain home. The place was gorgeous and must have cost a small fortune. Yet it was hard not to think of what the Blackthorns had done to be able to afford this sort of place…the lives they’d destroyed to make their money.

  Not that any of that mattered at the moment as I kept my façade in place. If I wanted revenge, then I needed to figure out what really drove my father over the edge, and make sure that I could back up the evidence I’d found at my parents’ place. I may be looking for revenge, but I wouldn’t take things any further until I had the evidence to incriminate Locke or his family.

  I managed a smile, forcing myself to stay focused. “It’s really nice, Locke. And the mountains are beautiful, especially when they’re covered in snow.”

  “We used to come here as kids when we were growing up.” Locke unlocked the door, grabbing my hand and pulling me in behind him, as Bear bolted through the door after a quick run around the front yard. “I haven’t been here in a few years… My brothers alternate through here often enough, though.”

  “Brothers? How big a family do you have?” Of course I knew that there were six brothers altogether—and that their father had been murdered just over a year ago. One of the brothers, however, lived in Ireland and had never taken part in the family business, working instead as a photographer.

  “Five brothers—no sisters. All of them a pain in the ass, though I wouldn’t change a thing.” He gave me a crooked smile that lit up his eyes. “Come on…let me show you around.”

  He’d yet to let go of my hand, and though it should bother me, it didn’t. If anything, I found it comforting to have someone in my life again. Except that Locke and his family were the reason why I had no family left—even if I had to pretend that Locke was just like any other sweet and sexy guy out there.

  Not that I’d ever met anyone like Locke before.

  My fingers knotted with his as he showed me around the place, which felt cozy and inviting, like the place was filled with love and memories. Of course, Bear insisted on following us around, until we ended the tour in the great room, which opened up to the kitchen and a dining area.

  The home was truly impressive, although nothing could match the breathtaking view of the mountains and forest, framed by a wall of windows. It felt like it was designed to bring the outdoors in, which it did brilliantly. Even better was the massive river rock fireplace with the huge wooden mantel. I could already picture how nice it would be to snuggle up in front of a roaring fire and leave my reality behind.

  I felt a small measure of peace settle in my soul as I took in the white-capped mountains as flakes of snow caught the air and danced their way to the ground. “This is really nice, Locke.”

  “We can stay as long as you’d like. Maybe once you’ve had a chance to relax a bit, your memories will start to come back to you—and there’s always a good chance that someone will also report you missing once they realize you’re gone.” His jaw tensed as his bright-blue eyes darkened with worry. “I can’t imagine that there isn’t someone out there worried out of their head that you’ve disappeared.”

  Except that there was no one looking, because anyone who’d cared about me was already dead.

  How the hell was it that no one had reported Emie missing yet? It just didn’t make any sense, though I supposed it was still early days, especially if her family didn’t live close by.

  “Well, it doesn’t look like I’m married or engaged.” She raised her hand and wiggled her fingers—and sure enough, there was no wedding band or engagement ring.

  Fucking hell… I let out a huge breath, unable to explain the immediate wave of relief that hit me. From the moment she’d stumbled into my life, there’d been something about her.

  It suddenly felt
like someone had set my soul ablaze, and it went well beyond the fact that Emie was beautiful, her long, red hair and freckles dancing against her porcelain skin. Her look was at once casual and yet striking, and she wore little to no makeup. Not that she needed it when she looked like she’d been painted by a Renaissance master.

  I could envision the battles that would have been fought in an attempt to gain her attention and favor—and if this was my chance to be her knight in shining armor, then I’d gladly pick up my sword.

  “I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before someone realizes you’re gone. Maybe you’re new to the Seattle area, and it’s taking your friends and family a little while to realize that you’re gone.” I hated the thought of her not having anyone out there who cared enough about her to realize she was missing. Yet at the same time, I found myself fighting back the urge to want to keep her all to myself.

  “I’m sure you’re right.” But when her voice cracked and her eyes went red with threatening tears, I pulled her into my arms without a second thought, feeling like a total ass for being selfish and wanting her to be all mine.

  My heart pounded inside my chest, her body fitting perfectly against mine as she leaned her head against my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Hush, baby… I swear, everything will be okay. We’ll figure this out. And I’ll be right here by your side. I’m not going anywhere.”

  She pulled away just enough so she could look up at me, as I cupped her face in my hands and brushed her tears away—and fuck, but she was so close. It took all I had to resist the urge to lean in and kiss her, the air between us crackling with tension.

  But before I had a chance to do anything stupid, she put a little distance between us, giving me a shy smile. “I can’t imagine where I’d be right now if I hadn’t stumbled across your home. I’d probably be dead, since I have no doubt they’d have found me by now.”

  I wanted to argue with her, but chances were good that she was right. Though Seattle was a great place to live and relatively safe, like most cities, there was a criminal underbelly to it. My family and I had stayed clear of the worst that took place, but it was impossible not to hear the whispers of black market deals that bartered in every commodity—drugs, guns…people.

  If Emie had somehow managed to escape that sort of nightmare, then they’d want her found and eliminated. There was no way they’d let her run around loose if there was any chance she could lead the cops back to them.

  “I know you don’t know me, Em, but I’ll see you through this. Whatever it takes.” Though if I had any hope of keeping her safe long-term, I’d need her to get her memory back.

  “I’m hijacking your life—and yet you’ve been nothing but understanding and helpful when I have no one else.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, biting her bottom lip as if to keep it from trembling.

  “Just because we haven’t found your family doesn’t mean that there’s no one out there, love. And until then, you have me.” I brushed the hair from her eyes, my fingers lingering on her skin as I fought back the urge to sink my fingers into her hair and haul her body to mine for a kiss that would make her forget all her worries. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Almost as if reading my mind, she went up onto the tips of her toes and leaned into me, pressing her soft, warm lips against mine in a sweet kiss. “I swear I’ll find a way to repay you for all you’ve done.”

  I bit back a groan, catching it before it burst forth, though there was little to be done about my hard cock as it throbbed and strained against my jeans, reminding me that it’d been far too long since I’d last been with a woman.

  It’s not that there weren’t plenty of women who’d happily take me to their beds. But I’d outgrown meaningless sex when I was in college, and if I was going to sleep with someone, I wanted to actually like them enough to have them hang around come morning and the days to come.

  And when it came to Emie, despite barely knowing her, I sure as hell liked her enough to want her to stick around well beyond breakfast.

  But that also meant I couldn’t be a total ass. I may desperately want her, but I had to let her set the pace, since I didn’t know what she’d been through, and the last thing I wanted to do was freak her out in any way.

  “Let me show you to your room.” I grabbed her bags and led the way, as Bear got up to follow us, not wanting to miss anything. Though there were plenty of rooms in the place, I made sure to give her the room across the hall from mine, wanting her as close as possible, since I couldn’t just drag her off to my bed. At least not yet.

  “What about you? Will you be nearby?” Her brow furrowed, and I hated that she still sounded uneasy and worried.

  “I’ll be right across the hall if you need me—but you’re safe here, Em.” I cupped the back of her neck and closed the distance between us, needing to have her close once again. “No one’s going to find you all the way out here in the mountains. And if they do, they’ll have both me and Bear to deal with—and there’s no way in hell anyone’s getting by us.”

  Emie was now my responsibility, and I’d be damned if I was going to fail her, when it would seem like the rest of the world already had.

  “I swear, Locke…you and Bear…you’re the only reason I feel safe.” Letting out a ragged sigh, she slipped her arms around my waist and rested her head against my chest as I tucked her head under my chin and held her close, engulfing her with the hope that she’d feel protected in my arms.

  I’d heard my family joke about how the Blackthorn men usually fell fast and hard for the woman they were meant to be with, but it wasn’t until this very moment that I felt the magnitude of it. Because it was quickly becoming clear to me that Emie was unlike any other woman I’d ever met—and I wanted a whole lot more than simply being her friend while she had no one else.

  As he held me in his strong arms, I let my eyes slip shut and took in the comfort and protection he offered me, pushing my past aside and ignoring the hell I’d been through. Because it’d been too long since I’d had anyone in my corner watching my back—and even longer since I’d taken comfort in anyone’s arms. I might be deluding myself, but at the moment, engulfed in Locke’s arms and surrounded by the sheer size of him, it was far too easy to ignore who he was and just nestle deep into his embrace.

  A part of me brushed it off as what I had to do to earn Locke’s trust so I could get close to him and his family. But a bigger part of me was starting to suspect that there was another truth, and no matter how much I lied to myself, it wouldn’t change the fact that I was more than happy to lose myself in Locke’s arms, even if it was just for the moment.

  I’d clearly been on my own for far too long, devoid of any real intimacy, and it had caught up with me. Because instead of wanting to push Locke away after what he did to my family, I was instead holding onto him as if he was some sort of haven in a storm.

  And when he kissed me, I let him, holding onto this persona I’d built up in my head, while locking away the girl who’d lost her family and was out for vengeance. Besides…what better way to get him to trust me than to get intimate with each other?

  At least that’s what I was telling myself.

  His scruffy stubble was rough against my face, in contrast to his lips, soft and warm, his kiss nothing more than a tease and a promise of so much more. My tongue darted out to find his while my fingers knotted into the soft fabric of his shirt, pulling him to me as I ignored the voices in my head that told me that I’d need to be careful. Though this was something that I needed to do, I couldn’t let myself get in too deep and have this go wrong.

  But before I found the strength to pull away, he did it for me, the perfect gentleman who was too worried about me in my fragile state, making me once again doubt my motives for being here. He gave me an easy smile that lit up his eyes and set me at ease. “You must be starving by now. We can head out to dinner if you’d like. There are a few good places nearby, though they’re nothing fancy. Or I’m happy to cook. Whatever wi
ll make you happy, Em.”

  Em… Each time he used the nickname he’d given me, it tugged at my heart and he managed to pull down yet another brick from the walls I’d built to keep myself safe. I told myself that he was the enemy. And yet, I wasn’t sure I believed it anymore, even though I reminded myself that I’d only just met him, and this could all just be an act he’d gotten really good at.

  “We can stay in, since we just got here. Maybe I can figure out if I used to cook in my former life.” In fact, I could. Damn well, if I did say so myself. And though it would give him insight into the person I truly was, the details I was “remembering” weren’t anything that would give away my true identity, even if it let him think I was making progress.

  “Great idea. We can work side by side, and if you decide that cooking isn’t your thing, I’m happy to step in and take over.” He kissed the tip of my nose and gave me a smile that made my heart skitter.

  I cursed myself for letting him have any sort of effect on me, though I quickly pushed that thought away, knowing that I couldn’t let him catch glimpses of who I truly was. “Anything you won’t eat?”

  “It’s a pretty short list, and nothing you’d easily run across in this country.” He led the way to the kitchen, and no surprise that Bear quickly followed, keeping a sharp eye out for any food that might fall to the ground. “Besides, most of what we stocked up on at the supermarket was pretty basic, and I’m assuming it’s stuff we’d both eat since we were both there when we got it.”

  When he winked at me, it was hard to keep my heart from reacting. “True. Pasta work for you? I figure it’s hard to screw up, though it won’t exactly be testing my cooking skills—unless of course, I can’t even boil water.”

  “Might as well find out.” He grabbed a pot from a nearby cabinet and handed it to me with a teasing smile that left me wondering if he was always this charismatic, or if I was the only one to fall under his spell so easily.