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

by Cali MacKay

  Needless to say, the two of us managed to get dinner on the table with little difficulty, though I wasn’t sure how good an idea the bottle of wine was, especially when I was a lightweight and seldom had much to drink.

  He poured me another glass as I finished my meal, and then went back for seconds, returning with another full plate of pasta. “I was thinking…maybe a word association game might help jog your memory. You seem a bit more relaxed. It might be just the thing to get the ball rolling.”

  “I’m a bit more relaxed because this wine’s gone straight to my head.” And though I told myself I shouldn’t drink the second glass, I still found myself taking yet another sip, since it was definitely helping with my nerves. “Though maybe I was never much of a drinker because the wine I had was never as good as this.”

  His eyes went wide with excitement as he gave me a wide grin. “See. It’s already working. You just remembered that you’re not much of a drinker.”

  Crap. The more I relaxed around him, the more I started to slip up. And if I drank any more wine, I’d be telling him my life’s story.

  “I suppose the word game can’t hurt, right?” What else was I supposed to say, if I didn’t want him getting suspicious? After all, “Emie” would want her memory back, and would be trying hard to make that happen. “Though this might have to be my last glass of wine, or you’ll be carrying me to bed.”

  “Sweetness, I have absolutely no problem taking care of you. But if you’re a lightweight, then making that your last glass may not be a bad thing.” His blue eyes came alight with an unmistakable need that would no doubt mirror my own if I wasn’t careful.

  I knew better, even as I told myself that anything that happened between us would be nothing more than a way to get him to open up to me…to trust me. Nothing more.

  I kept waiting for him to show me the sort of monster he really was—and time and again, I was left scratching my head. Instead of letting me land in a shelter with no one there to make sure I was safe, he’d taken me into his home, dropping everything to make sure I was okay. And instead of plying me with alcohol so he could have his way with me, he was making sure I didn’t drink too much.

  Not that he’d need to get any woman drunk in order to get them into his bed. No…I had no doubt women would happily fight each other for the pleasure. And why the hell wouldn’t they? Tall, muscular, smart, kind, sexy…

  The perfect disguise for a killer.

  Except…something in my gut had me second-guessing myself, though maybe that was part of his MO. He was so charismatic and charming that you couldn’t help but let down your guard and throw caution aside. And though I’d like to think I was less gullible than that, here I was already second-guessing myself, after twenty-four hours in his presence.

  With the plates in the dishwasher, he led the way to the sofa, sitting by my side close enough to have our knees touching as we both shifted to face each other. “I was thinking that I say a word, and you tell me the first thing that pops into your head. What do you think?”

  “Nothing to lose by trying, right?” I managed a smile, and any uneasiness I felt about him discovering the truth could easily be blamed on nerves after my ordeal.

  He shot me a charming smile. “Exactly.”

  It’s not that I’d ever done anything like this before, but I figured it couldn’t be that difficult to just throw out random words or questions out there and see what Emie came back with. “Just relax and say the first thing that comes to mind when I give you a word. Like…Seattle.”

  “Home.” Her answer was quick, and followed by a surprised smile.

  “There you go, baby. Sounds like there’s a good chance Seattle is home for you.” At least, I hoped so. “Movie.”

  She hesitated this time, shaking her head. “I don’t know…”

  I reached over and gave her a hand a squeeze. “That’s perfectly fine. Let’s try another one. Cake.”

  “Chocolate.” She relaxed a little, managing a small smile.

  “Car.”

  “Mini.” She seemed to surprise herself with that one.

  “A Mini, huh? I can see that.” As adorable as she was, I could easily see her in a cute little car with tons of zip. “Sports?”

  “Seahawks.” The Seattle Seahawks…another indication that she was likely from Seattle.

  “Married?” I hated that I held my breath as I waited for her answer, but there was no help for it. I wanted Emie to myself.

  “No.” Yet another quick answer—and I swore, I let out a huge sigh of relief to hear it.

  I knotted my fingers with hers as my free hand brushed her hair from her shoulder, needing every bit of contact I could muster without scaring her away. “Favorite food.”

  “Sushi—no, pizza. Or Thai.” She shook her head, giving me a shrug and a shy smile. “Guess it could be just about anything.”

  “That works for me, love.” I leaned in and kissed her, my lips lingering on hers for just a sweet moment, before forcing myself to pull away. “Job?”

  Her brow furrowed as she gave me a pout. “I’m sort of blank on that one. What about you? You never really said what you do for work.”

  “Honestly, my entire family has shifted its focus to our whiskey distillery in the last year or two. So we all do whatever is needed for the family business. Some days it’s dealing with manufacturing, and other days, I’m dealing with distributors and sales. But…it’s a bit of a shift from what my family was doing beforehand—in a good way. Especially since we lost my father to it…”

  Fuck. I hated that it still hurt. But my father’s murder was still a raw spot on my soul, even if we’d finally paid back the bastards who took him from us.

  “I’m sorry to hear it, Locke.” She took a long sip from her glass, before setting it down, her eyes refusing to meet mine. “What did you guys do before focusing on the distillery?”

  I shrugged, knowing that if I went down that road, I’d do nothing but scare her off. “It was my father’s business for the most part, though we sort of got dragged into it as we got old enough. It was…just a bit of this and that. Running errands and tackling business dealings for our clients. How about you, Em? Any family?”

  I wasn’t sure if she’d remember whether or not she had any family, but it was still worth a try, especially if we had any hope of figuring out who she was. And as close as my own family was, I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to have one of them go missing and not know what happened to them.

  Yet instead of giving me any sort of answer, her eyes immediately teared up, even as she managed a smile, grabbing her glass. “Looks like I might need another one. Can I get you anything?”

  “Hey…it’s okay, Em.” I took her glass from her and set it aside, not sure that another glass of wine would help her any.

  “You know…it’s starting to get late, and I’m exhausted after getting almost no sleep last night.” She shifted away from me, quickly swiping at her tears.

  “I hate the thought of you going to bed upset.” Especially when I didn’t know if she was upset because of something she’d remembered, or if she was upset because she’d been reminded that, until her memory returned, she was alone. And though she had me by her side, I was still a stranger to her. “Talk to me, Emie… What’s going on in that sweet head of yours?”

  “I don’t know—and I don’t want to talk about it.” She got to her feet, looking ready to bolt, but I stood right along with her, refusing to let her take off in a panic.

  “Then we don’t have to talk about it, love.” I cupped her face in my hands, closing the distance between us, her lush curves brushing against my body as her eyes slipped shut and she leaned into my touch. “I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard.”

  She shook her head with a sigh. “It’s not your fault. It’s just me. I’m a mess. And not knowing who I am is leaving me feeling confused and dizzy.”

  “Then maybe catching up on sleep isn’t such a bad idea.” Even if I’d be up all night,
worried about her panicking and taking off. “Come on… Let’s get you to bed.”

  I scooped her up into my arms and cradled her against me, carrying her off to her bed, relieved that she didn’t fight me but rather clung to me, her head resting against my shoulder. I laid her down against the pillows, but when I went to leave, she grabbed my hand. “Please stay, Locke. I don’t want to be alone.”

  Fucking hell, she looked gorgeous with her red hair spilling around her. “As you wish, Em. I’ll be right here as you sleep.”

  Lying by her side, I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart as she nestled her body against mine, knowing this was going to be one hell of a long night, especially if I was going to behave myself. Yet as she relaxed by my side, it didn’t take long for her breathing to slow and deepen as she drifted off to sleep, though I’d be damned if I could get my thoughts to slow.

  Someone had to know who Emie was. Someone had to be missing her. But until we figured out who she really was, I’d happily be here by her side to help her through whatever came her way.

  Maybe Dane could help. He was my family’s computer expert, and had more than a few ways of obtaining information others didn’t want found. If someone had taken Emie, then Dane might be able to find details of it on the Dark Web, depending on what they’d planned to do with her.

  The thought had my body tensing with anger, my hold on her tightening. I hated having this unknown threat hanging over our heads. Something would definitely need to be done, though it’d have to wait until morning.

  For now, I was happy to drift off to sleep with Emie in my arms—until I was woken up by her screams as she startled awake from a nightmare.

  “It’s okay, baby…I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

  My nightmares were always the same, almost as if to mock me, reminding me that there was no escape. No way to turn back the hands of time and get my family back. Instead, I was forced to walk through my family home, time and again, stepping through the pools of blood as I screamed, my face and body covered in blood splatter, my family dead all around me.

  But this time, I wasn’t alone when I was startled awake by my own cries.

  I was with Locke.

  “Hush, love…I’ve got you.” He cradled me in the safety of his arms, rocking me back and forth as I choked on my sobs, tears streaming down my cheeks. “It was just a dream…you’re safe.”

  But it wasn’t a dream. It was my nightmare of a life—a nightmare I’d never get to wake up from.

  Nothing could bring back my parents and sister.

  Locke ran his hand down my back, trying to calm me as I struggled to slow my tears. “I know it was just a stupid dream, but…”

  “I’m sure it felt real. Dreams…nightmares…they have a way of doing that.” He kissed the top of my head as I tightened my hold on him, burying myself against his side as if he could somehow make my nightmares disappear—which was insane, given the whole reason I was here.

  Yet, none of it seemed to matter at the moment when he was here to chase away my demons, making it far too easy for me to forget all my problems, especially when we were tucked away in the mountains away from Seattle.

  Except for the little fact that he and his family were the whole reason my life had gone to hell.

  Suddenly feeling panicked, I sat up out of his arms and leapt out of bed, the full moon streaming through the large windows offering me enough light to make my way toward the door. “I need to go. I’m sorry…this has all been a mistake right from the start.”

  I should have never started this.

  For such a big, muscular guy, he moved damn quick and was at my side before I could make my escape, grabbing my hand and pulling me to him. “Em…it’s the middle of the night. You’re just shaken up from your nightmare—and that’s to be expected after all you’ve been through. But running…that won’t do you any good, love. Especially when you don’t know who’s out there looking for you.”

  He cupped my face in his hand and bent his head to mine, the intensity between us unlike anything I’d felt before—and I’d be damned if I could push him away, even if I knew I should.

  “Then give me a reason to stay, Locke…please.” I hated how desperate and emotional I sounded but I needed him to erase my nightmares. And if anything, what better way to get him to trust me?

  “Sweetness…” He caught my mouth in a tease of a kiss, and then another, pausing in between as if giving me the chance to stop him—not that I could, even if there was a part of me that knew I should, no matter what my plans. Because there was no denying that there was something between us, even if it was fueled by my hate and misguided motives.

  I deepened our kiss, telling myself that this would put me in a better position to get the information I needed, to get him to lower his guard and let me into his life and his family’s. And yet I knew that, at the moment, it was nothing but a lie…that I was desperate to escape from my life and Locke was offering me the perfect distraction.

  Before I could take things any further, Locke was breaking away from our kiss, his breathing heavy and his body tense, while he bent his head to mine. “You’ve been through a lot, love…”

  “Which is exactly why I need you to distract me from my problems.” Maybe it was a mistake. But at the moment, I didn’t care. I wanted to shut away my real life and pretend that anything was still possible. That I could have almost any life as Emie—and frankly, I didn’t care if I was being delusional.

  “Em…are you sure? Because I’m not sure I’m going to be able to resist you and do the honorable thing for long.” His voice was gruff and deep with need, which only made me want him all the more. And in the dark of night, it was easy for me to push away any reservations I may have.

  “I’m sure, Locke. I need you to distract me… I need you to make me forget my problems.” Even if he had no clue what my problems truly were.

  Cupping my face in his hands, he brushed his thumb over my lips and then kissed me, his tongue clashing with mine and sending a shiver of need through me as my body came alive. It’d been so long…but even then, I couldn’t remember anyone ever having this sort of effect on me.

  He backed me up against the wall, his hard body pressed against mine, making it impossible to ignore his massive erection. I was desperate to feel him inside me, especially when he raked his teeth down my neck, pulling a needy groan past my lips.

  I gave myself to him, to this moment, forcing myself to let go of my past…to forget my heartache and the whole reason I was here. And as he trailed bites and kisses down my neck, he made it damn easy for me to lose myself in him. “I need more, Locke.”

  “Anything you want, Em…” He kissed me again, his tongue sweeping over mine, breaking away just long enough to pull my top off while I tugged his T-shirt up over his head.

  One piece after another, our clothes were hastily discarded, as if we were desperate to feel the heat of each other’s bodies, pressed skin to skin. With his mouth hard on mine in a hungry kiss, his hands drifted down to my ass and lifted me up off my feet as if I weighed nothing, his hard cock plunging into me bare, my body impaled on his steely hard length as I gasped.

  It’d been so long and he was so big that the mere size of him nearly had me coming. Holding onto him, I wrapped my legs around his hips and bit his neck as he backed me up against the wall, thrusting into me with a primal grunt.

  “Fuck, baby…you feel so good. I wish I could take this nice and slow for you, but…”

  “Just fuck me, Locke. I’m not looking for you to be gentle with me.” It was the only way to distract me from my problems, and the fact that I was fucking the man I was supposed to hate.

  “Whatever it takes to make you happy.” He pounded each thrust into me, pinning me between his muscular body and the hard wall. And though I shouldn’t want him even touching me, I loved the feeling of being trapped and at his mercy.

  The energy of my orgasm started to build as our kisses grew more fervent, my legs tightenin
g around his waist in rhythm to his thrusts so I could take him deeper—and just like that, it was enough to push me over that razor’s edge.

  My cries filled the quiet of the room as my orgasm tore through me, his name but a whisper on my lips.

  “Locke…”

  “I’m not done with you yet, Em…” Fucking hell… I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of her tight, sweet body, especially when I was taking her bare—something I’d never done before. And the way she said my name as she came…there wasn’t a sweeter sound.

  With my cock still buried deep inside her and my lips on hers in a hungry kiss, I carried her to the bed and laid us down with her beneath me, fighting back my need to come so I could make this moment last. Not that I was going to last a whole lot longer at the rate I was going.

  Hooking her leg up onto my shoulder to open her up to me, I thrust into her, taking her deep, loving the needy gasps that escaped her lips, each moment we spent linked bringing us closer together. I kissed her, swallowing down her little moans, as she raked her nails down my back, spurring me on, our pace quickening.

  “I’m coming, Locke…” The need in her voice and her cries as she came was all it took to push me over the edge, my cock buried deep inside her as I filled her with my cum, slowing my thrusts as I rode out the last waves of my orgasm.

  “Em…” I kissed her sweetly, my forehead pressed to hers as I was left wondering how good an idea this had been. Not that I had any regrets. But it was hard not to worry about her. “You okay, love?”

  “Yeah…I will be.” Her voice was suddenly thick with emotion, making me feel like a total fucking ass.

  I pulled out of her and laid back against the pillows, gathering her up into my arms and snuggling us under the covers, doing what I could to make her feel safe and offer her some comfort. “You know I’m here for you, Em. Whatever you need. And if you want to talk, I’m happy to listen.”

  “I know. And I appreciate it. It was just that stupid nightmare…” She clung to me as if she might get swept back up into its darkness.