Everything has slotted perfectly into place, and life is good.
“Hey,” she says, staring quizzically at me. “Where’d you go?”
I take her hand and press a kiss to her palm. “I was just thinking about how perfect my life is now you’re officially in it.”
“If you don’t stop staying stuff like that I might just have to drag you to the bathroom before we leave,” she whispers in my ear.
“And you think I’d have any issue with that?” I quirk a brow in amusement. “You can have your wicked way with me any time, any place, anywhere.”
She bursts out laughing and the sound is like music to my ears. Grinning at her, I plant another quick kiss on her lips. Man, I can’t stop touching this woman. I just love her so much.
Kyler clears his throat loudly, and we both sober up. Eva is aware of what’s about to go down, although I made her promise not to say a word. I’m the only one Kyler told the news to, and I’m honored he trusted me enough to share it. He stands up, holding his hand over Faye’s. They lock eyes, and a moment passes between them. A moment none of us misses. Mom is on the verge of tears, and I think she’s just figured it out.
Kyler lifts his head, his gaze roaming around the table. “Faye and I have some news. We’re getting married!”
The room erupts in a chorus of shouting, clapping, and cheering. Kyler pulls Faye to her feet, enveloping her in his arms, looking like he never wants to let go. Eva and I share a look, understanding the emotions my brother and his new fiancée are feeling. We move toward one another at the same time, our lips meeting in the middle, our hands finding one another.
“Oh my God,” Whitney shrieks, “that ring is obscene.”
Eva and I part, standing up as one and moving around the table. Whitney’s jaw is someplace on the ground as she holds Faye’s hand, staring enviously at the massive engagement ring on her finger.
“Overcompensating, bruh?” I joke, grabbing Kyler into a hug.
“Very fucking funny.”
“I’m really happy for you guys,” I say, grabbing Faye into my embrace as Eva moves to hug Ky.
“Have you set a date or anything?” Eva asks.
“Not yet,” Faye says, slinging her arm around my brother’s waist and grinning up at him. “But we don’t want to wait, so we’ll probably get married sometime during summer break.”
Wow. Mom is going to sprout wings and fly when she realizes she has two weddings to plan next year.
“You should have a double wedding with Lana and Kal,” Keaton suggests, tugging Faye away from Ky and wrapping her in a massive hug. “That would be fun.”
“No fucking way,” Ky says. “Faye isn’t sharing her day with anyone else, and I’m sure Kal feels the same way.”
“I hear ya, bro,” Kalvin says, edging his way into the conversation. “And we’re not planning on getting hitched for another couple of years yet. Between our little bundle of fun, college, and Lana’s writing career, we have our hands full. We’ll do it when we have time to plan it properly.”
“I’m so excited for you,” Lana squeals, taking her turn hugging Faye. “Now we’re going to be legit sisters-in-law.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Faye admits, “but that’ll be so cool. And I’ll have official auntie dibs on Hewson.”
The doorbell rings as Rachel and Brad step up to offer their congratulations. Mom and Dad exchange nervous looks across the table, and I know what that means. We have a history of family celebrations being interrupted with shitty news.
Case in point.
Keanu returns from the front door with a horrified expression on his face. Officer Hanks steps into the dining room flanked by a man and a woman dressed in suits and serious expressions.
“What’s going on?” Dad asks, stepping forward and addressing our local police officer. Unfortunately, thanks to Kent’s shenanigan’s and other family history, Officer Hanks is well-acquainted with our family. “What was so important you had to interrupt us on Christmas Day? Do I need to call my attorney?”
“That would be a good idea, sir,” the woman says in a serious tone.
“These folks are from the FBI,” Officer Hanks explains. “And they’re here on official business.”
The male FBI agent is eyeballing Keven like he’s his next meal, and I’m terrified of where this is going. “We are here for Keven Kennedy. Come with us quietly, son, and we’ll make this painless for your family.”
Mom gasps, clamping a hand over her mouth, while Dad is already on his cell, calling Dan Evans, no doubt. Dad must have that man on a massive retainer, and we keep him plenty busy.
Keven leans in and kisses Faye on the cheek before slapping Kyler on the shoulder. “Congrats, guys, and I’m sorry to put a dampener on your news.” Ky locks Kev in a fierce hug, whispering something in his ear. Then Mom comes out of her daze, rushing Keven, sobbing and hugging him while Kev ushers reassurances. “They just want to talk to me about a few things, Mom. It’s not that serious,” he lies.
“Is that really necessary,” I hear Officer Hanks ask, and I swing my head around, watching the male FBI agent opening a set of handcuffs. “The young man is coming voluntarily with you.”
Ignoring Officer Hanks, the FBI agent rounds the table, stopping in front of Keven. Mom is clinging to his side, tears glistening in her eyes. The agent shows his badge, reads Kev his rights, and then handcuffs him.
“Don’t say a word until Dan gets there,” I tell Kev even though he doesn’t need to hear it. Kev knows more about his rights than any of us do. He’s done some crazy shit in the past, and he’s always feared this day would come, so I know he’s prepared and he won’t do anything to incriminate himself further.
I hold Eva against me while my brother is led away, rubbing my hands up and down her back, soothing her.
Keven
Agent Dickhead shoves my head in the back of his SUV, strapping me in while the female agent, who has yet to introduce herself, gets in the other side to keep an eye on me. Jerkoff slides behind the wheel, starting the engine. I stare out the window, at familiar landscape, as the miles eat away.
I’ve always known this day would come. Despite how careful I’ve been, some things refuse to stay buried. I knew the risk I was taking the day I sent the anonymous tip to the FBI about Kade and Eva’s location. There wasn’t time to put the proper precautions in place, and I knew it wouldn’t take too long before they discovered where the tip came from. I knew it would lead to further investigation, but, if I had my time over again, I’d still do the same.
My brother and his wife would have died that day if I hadn’t intervened.
And if I end up going to jail, I won’t have any regrets.
My brother is alive, and that’s all that counts.
The silence in the SUV is deafening, but I sure as fuck won’t be the first to break it.
We pull up at the back entrance of what I know is the local FBI field office. I cooperate as I’m removed from the car and led into the building.
They deposit me in a small room, cuffing my hands to the table and leaving me alone. Some time passes, and then the same two agents return with an older gentleman with thick dark hair. He removes the handcuffs from my wrists before dropping into a chair across from me, while the other two stand over in the corner like dutiful lackeys. “Good evening, Mr. Kennedy. I’m Supervisory Special Agent Andrew Clement, and I’d like to have an off-the-record chat with you before your attorney arrives.” Slamming a heavy manila folder down on the table, he eyeballs me with a penetrating stare. “We’ve had our eye on you for some time, Keven.” He raps his fingers off the table while I stare neutrally ahead. “You’ve been a very naughty boy.” He flips open the file, skimming through documents. “Illegal online gambling. Identify theft and larceny. Illegal wire-tapping. Not to mention some of the undesirables you’ve been connected to
in the past. The list goes on.”
He has no idea.
Propping his elbows on the desk, he stabs me with sharp hazel eyes. “There is no denying how incredibly skilled you are with a computer, or your obvious intelligence, so I have a proposition for you.”
I arch a brow, as the woman pulls a white screen down from the ceiling.
“Our analysis shows you have tried to mend your ways, and your most recent illegal activities have all centered on protecting family and friends. We know you sent us the anonymous tip which led us to the warehouse that day, and we’re grateful.” He pauses momentarily. “However, your actions are enough to put you away for quite some time unless you agree to come and work for us,” Agent Clement says.
Okay, what?
I eyeball the guy like he’s crazy. “Work for you?” I splutter. “Doing what?”
“We could use a good technical analyst like you on a special high-priority undercover case.”
“And what? If I do this, you’ll rip up those charges?”
Extracting a document from the file, he slides it across the table to me. “That’s a contract of employment which also confirms that if you come to work with us we will drop all pending charges against you and shred your file, subject to certain provisions, of course.”
“What if I don’t want to come and work for you?”
“Then you’ll be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
I say nothing for a few minutes. “I need some time to think about it.”
The man smiles, as if I’ve just told a joke. “This is a one-time offer, and you’ll need to make your mind up now.” He clicks his fingers, and the male lackey switches off the light as the screen powers up. “Perhaps this might help persuade you,” Agent Clement says.
Photos of various well-known criminals appear on the screen, and he starts explaining. “Following the recent death of Jeremy Garcia, a drugs war has erupted on our streets, as various interested parties battle to take over what was his.” More images fill the screen. “But that’s not even the real problem. Most of the main players have their hands in several cookie jars. Narcotics is only one aspect of their business.” The images on the screen shift, showing several large trucks, open at the rear, with young girls spilling out of the vehicles, crying, and in various stages of undress. “Sex trafficking is another lucrative source of income, and something that’s been on our radar for quite some time, but we’re struggling to find evidence to pin these guys down.”
The images return to some of Massachusetts’s most notorious gangsters. “The turmoil in the aftermath of Garcia’s demise grants us an opportunity to infiltrate these organizations and start to build solid evidence against those responsible. With your background, and your skills, you could be a valuable asset to our team.”
The screen changes again, and my eyes zone in on the pretty blonde outside the photography studio. My chest tightens as I examine the shot in more detail. She’s looking up at a guy I don’t recognize, and they’re smiling at one another. “Who’s that?” I ask, gnawing on the inside of my mouth.
“Daniel Stanten. A relative newcomer on the scene. He was being groomed by Garcia and word on the street is he’s the one to watch.”
“Who’s the girl,” I ask, although I already know her name.
“Cheryl Keeland. His fiancée.”
“I’ll do it,” I blurt. “I’ll come and work for you.” Light floods the room, and Agent Clement stares at me in surprise. I reach across the table for the contract. “Where do I sign?”
He removes a pen from his inside jacket pocket and hands it to me. I don’t even bother reading it. Dan Evans will string me up for this, but screw that shit.
I’ve spent years trying to get all thoughts and memories of Cheryl Keeland out of my head, to no avail. Torn through girls like they were a two-for-one special, but nothing or no one can erase the only girl who has ever owned my heart.
Cheryl was the love of my life growing up, and I never envisioned a future where she wasn’t in it.
Until I fucked up.
And I lost her.
And I haven’t been at peace within myself since.
I don’t believe in kismet or karma or whatever the fuck you call it.
But right now, it feels like fate is sending me one-big-ass message.
And I’m not going to fuck up again.
Cheryl may be engaged to that guy, but she hasn’t married him yet, so there’s still time to warn her.
Time to tell her what I should have told her senior year.
Time to win back the heart of the only girl who has ever mattered.
Skipping to the back page of the contract, I scribble my signature in the field provided, sliding the document across the slick surface to a shocked-looking Agent Clement.
Grinning, I lean across the table. “When do I start?”
The Kennedy Boys series continues in Forgiving Keven, coming soon.
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling True Calling, Saven, and Kennedy Boys series.
Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
You can connect with Siobhan in the following ways:
Author Website: www.siobhandavis.com
Author Blog: My YA NA Book Obsession
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Email: [email protected]
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Books by Siobhan Davis
TRUE CALLING SERIES
Young Adult Science Fiction/Dystopian Romance
True Calling
Lovestruck
Beyond Reach
Light of a Thousand Stars
Destiny Rising
Short Story Collection
True Calling Series Collection
SAVEN SERIES
Young Adult Science Fiction/Paranormal Romance
Saven Deception
The Logan Collection
Saven Disclosure
Saven Denial
Saven Defiance
The Heir and the Human
Saven Deliverance
Saven: The Complete Series
KENNEDY BOYS SERIES
Upper Young Adult/New Adult Contemporary Romance
Finding Kyler
Losing Kyler
Keeping Kyler
The Irish Getaway
Loving Kalvin
Saving Brad
Seducing Kaden
Forgiving Keven^
Adoring Keaton^
Releasing Keanu^
&
nbsp; Reforming Kent^
STANDALONES
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Inseparable
Incognito*
ALINTHIA SERIES
Upper YA/NA Paranormal Romance/Reverse Harem
The Lost Savior
The Secret Heir
The Warrior Princess*
* Coming 2018
^ Release date to be confirmed.
Visit www.siobhandavis.com for all future release dates. Please note release dates are subject to change based on reader demand and the author’s schedule. Subscribing to the author’s newsletter or following her on Facebook is the best way to stay updated with planned new releases.
Copyright
Copyright © Siobhan Davis 2018. Siobhan Davis asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or events is entirely coincidental.
Conditions of Sale
By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, shared, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the Author.
E-Book edition © April 2018
ASIN: B079GZS238
Editor: Kelly Hartigan (XterraWeb) editing.xterraweb.com
Cover design by Fiona Jayde www.fionajaydemedia.com
Cover image © depositphotos.com
Formatting by The Deliberate Page www.DeliberatePage.com
Seducing Kaden (The Kennedy Boys Book 6) Page 24