“And take care of Tula. She’s good for you.”
Briefly, I embrace him and head for the car. I open the door and hold up my hand in a wave.
Kyle has gone to stand by Sean, and he holds up two fingers. Sean merely nods as I get in the car, then drive away without a backward glance.
“Are you okay?” asks Tula as she puts a hand on my leg.
“No.” She rubs my leg up and down to comfort me. “But I will be.”
Kyle
All day we’ve been out at Jamie’s putting up a marquee, party lights, and whatever the hell else Maddock told us he wanted. He, by the way, has been conspicuously missing. It’s been a month since Angus left. Sean received a parcel in the mail. It was the deed to his and Beth’s farm, paid in full along with a postcard from Brazil. Not that we think that’s where Angus and Tula are.
Bags pulls up on his Harley, climbing off it with some difficulty. He’s been distant since Arrow’s death. He hasn’t hung around the MC or me while he’s been recuperating. He’s had one of the club girls looking after him at his home. I’ve tried to visit, but she’s been like a gatekeeper keeping everyone out.
“Hey, Prez,” he greets me.
“Bags, it’s been a minute.” I hold out my hand, and he immediately grasps mine for a firm shake. “I tried to visit you but, ahh… Candy?” He nods. “Well, she’s harder to get past than a bear with cubs.”
“I didn’t want to see anyone.”
His honesty surprises me.
“Oi!” yells Sean from across the yard. “We’ve got a party to organize.”
Holding up my hand, I yell back, “We’ll just be a minute.”
He gives me the thumbs up and goes back to hanging lights.
I look at Bags with a grin. “Come on, brother, let’s get a beer.” I walk him into Jamie’s house and into the kitchen. Jamie takes after Da, everything is in its place, and it’s spotless. He wouldn’t be happy that we’ve walked in with our shoes on. Jamie removes his by the back door.
I hand Bags a beer, twist the cap off mine, and sit at the dining table. Bags joins me, although as he sits, I can see he’s in a fair bit of pain.
“You okay?”
He nods. “I’m not as young as I used to be. It’s taking a while to heal.” Bags takes a sip of beer, gritting his teeth at the taste. “I’ve been thinking things over.”
I take a sip of beer and tilt my head to the side. “Things like leaving the MC?”
Bags nods. “First, we lost Smokey and now Arrow. I’m not sure I can lose anymore.”
I know how he feels. Smokey was murdered by a drug cartel. He was only a prospect, but he was well-liked. Arrow was a patched member, and he and Bags were close.
Leaning forward with my elbows on my knees and the beer in one hand, I say, “We won’t lose anymore.”
Bags glares at me sharply. “You don’t know that.”
“Not with one hundred percent certainty, no I don’t.” I lick my lips. “The club can’t lose you, too, that I know for certain. You walk, and I’ll have a mutiny on my hands. I’m asking you to stay.”
Bags appears to be surprised. He says nothing but continues to stare at me intently. The sound of a door slamming has us both looking toward the back of the house.
Sean walks in, a string of lights in his hands that look like he’s tied them in knots. “Fucking Cutter is as useless as tits on a bull,” thunders Sean as he holds them up.
Bags and I exchange a look and then laugh.
“You feel like sticking around to help us sort this out?” I ask Bags.
“Yeah, Prez, I’ll stick around.”
I smile, understanding his meaning. “Good. I’d be grateful.”
Bags gets to his feet with a grunt. “I’m not climbing any ladders.”
Sean thrusts the lights at him. “Fine. Just sort this shit out.” He takes my beer off me and takes a sip. “Where the fuck is Maddock? This is for him, right?”
“Him and Cherie. I think he’s at the airport picking up Samuel.”
Sean swallows down more beer, gives me a grimace, and goes back outside. I chuckle at the mess he’s given Bags.
“I like puzzles,” states Bags with a grin.
“Come on, brother, let’s get this party organized. Lola and Beth should be here soon.”
Bags nods. “So, Maddock is finally going to get hitched?”
“Seems that way.”
“About time. I like Cherie.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
“I like Lola, too.”
His double meaning is clear.
I bark out a laugh and slap him on the back. “You want her?” I tease.
“Fuck, no. I think she’d rip my balls off.”
That’s my Lola, all attitude and bad manners. But I wouldn’t have her any other way.
Laughing, we walk outside and see Sean pointing at Cutter. “You’re a fucking dead man, do you hear me?” he yells as Cutter runs behind a table.
“Jesus,” I mutter with a shake of my head.
“Cutter baits him, pushes his buttons. One day Sean is going to kill him.”
“One day, but not today.”
Bags’ lips turn up, and he agrees. “Not today.”
It’s late, and the party is in full swing. Cherie has displayed her engagement ring to every female at the party. She had no idea Maddock was going to ask her to marry him in front of her grandfather, no less. With tears in her eyes, she said yes. Not that I had any doubts, but Mad was nervous. It’s good she keeps him on his toes.
Lola puts an arm around my waist, and I drape an arm over her shoulders. “You okay, Prez?”
“It’s a good day. I just wish we were all here.”
Most of the MC is here, and many of Cherie’s friends—a lot of whom I don’t know. There’s one female with long brown hair who burst into tears when Maddock asked Cherie to marry him, who I’ve never seen before. Right now, she talking to my brother, Jamie.
Tonight would be perfect if all the MacKenny boys were here—tonight I miss Angus more than ever.
Lola sighs. “They look good together.”
Cherie and Maddock do make a good-looking pair.
“Yeah. Do you think she’s pregnant?”
Lola pulls away from me, hands on hips looking all kinds of sassy. “No, she’s not. Some people get married because they love each other and want to be with that person forever.” She throws her arms in the air and stomps away.
“What did I say?” I yell at her retreating form. She shakes her head and keeps going.
“Wow, you fucked that up,” says Logan, Lola’s son.
“How did I fuck that up?”
“If you can’t guess that every female at this party now wants to get married, you’re dumber than you look,” he says cheekily.
I cuff him across the top of his head and laugh. “Since when did you get to be so smart?”
“I just watch you MacKenny boys and learn from your mistakes,” he quips.
Lunging, I try to hit him again, but he bounds away from me, laughing, the smart-ass little prick. But he has a point. Lola and I have been together longer than any of my brothers and their women. Maybe I should think about making it official.
Turning around, I see a slender woman with blonde hair in a white chef’s uniform. She’s not part of the catering crew, and she looks like she’s looking for someone. So, I stumble toward her.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Maddock MacKenny.”
“I’m his brother, Kyle.”
She looks nervous. Her eyes are darting at all the people around her. “I’m to deliver a cake to him.”
Putting my fingers in my mouth, I let out a shrill whistle, silencing everyone. “Yo, Mad! Woman here for you,” I yell.
This makes most of the MC laugh, and a volley of disgusting inuendos fills the air. I look at the woman, and her eyes are firmly planted on the ground.
Maddock and Jamie come toward us. Maddock is
shaking his head at me with a big grin on his face.
“Hello, I’m Maddock.”
“I’m Isabelle Kelly, I mean Isabelle Lewis.”
“You don’t know your name?” I ask.
“Newly divorced,” she replies, flustered. “I have a delivery for you, Maddock. It’s a cake from an Angus MacKenny.”
“Angus?”
She nods. “He told me I had to deliver it at this precise time. He even paid extra for it. I wanted to deliver it this morning, but he said it had to be a surprise.”
“It is a surprise,” agrees Maddock.
Jamie smiles at her. “Where is it?”
She grins back at him. “Come this way.”
All three of us follow her to a little white van. She opens the back doors and unhooks some straps then slides the cake box forward. It’s about the size of two ledger sized sheets of paper. Isabelle lifts the lid, and on top of the cake, it reads, ‘Family First, Always.’ The cake has a picture of Angus and Tula in formal outfits holding up a glass of champagne.
“How did he know?” asks Maddock.
“When did you get the order?” asks Jamie.
“He sent it through last week.” She frowns, her eyebrows drawing together. “He also said if you asked, to say… he’s watching you, always.”
We exchange glances, and I burst out laughing.
Angus might not be here in the flesh, but he’s most definitely here in spirit.
in
Book Five, Spark of Time, the MacKenny Brothers Series
BLURB
Jamie MacKenny, the upstanding member of his family.
Well, that’s how he thinks of himself.
Until Isabella Lewis stumbles into his life and turns it upside down.
She says she’s newly divorced, but she acts like she’s still married, and in a crowd, Isabella constantly scans for any potential threats.
She thinks he doesn’t notice and although Jamie lives a quiet life, his brothers are always on the fringe of danger.
He knows the signs.
Will he be able to protect Isabella?
Will he need the help of his family he’s so harshly judged in the past?
Or will any chance of a happily ever after be taken from them as they run out of time?
If you liked this story, you might also like:
Spark: The MacKenny Brothers Series Book 1
Spark of Vengeance: The MacKenny Brothers Series Book 2
Spark of Hope: The MacKenny Brothers Series Book 3
Tackling Love – A Sports Romance featuring Colton Anders
The Savage Angels MC Series
Savage Stalker Book 1
Click here to purchase
BLURB
Isn’t it funny?
How one accident can change your entire path.
I was an international rock star and the female lead singer for the Grinders, but now I’m hiding in the mountains away from everything and everyone.
That is until the President of the Savage Angels MC, Dane Reynolds, gave me a reason to feel again.
He’s fierce, strong, and loyal, but someone sinister hides in the shadows.
Can Dane save Kat? Or will the savage stalker get to her first?
Savage Fire Book 2
Savage Town Book 3
Savage Lover Book 4
Savage Sacrifice Book 5
Savage Rebel (Novella) Book 6
Savage Lies Book 7
Savage Life Book 8
Savage Christmas (Novella) Book 9
Savage Angels MC Collection Books 1 – 3
Savage Angels MC Collection Books 4 – 6
The Grinders Series
Truth Book One
There are always so many people to acknowledge when it comes to putting a book together. With that in mind, I’ll try to be brief.
Kia Carrington-Russell, I’m so glad you came into my life and helped keep me on track—love you.
Maci Dillon, about time you came back into my life. I’ve missed you. And I’m so excited to see what you do this year.
SL who puts up with me and lets me be me. I love you more than I can put into words, and we both know how much I can speak, so that’s saying something.
Kaylene and Kim Osborn, you have no idea how much you help me, and I’ll always be grateful you came into my life.
J.A. Low, who made me see things a little more clearly. Thank you.
To all the Bloggers and Pimpers who help spread the word about my works, I adore each and every one of you.
And finally, you, dear reader. Thank you for buying my books and making me want to do better, for contacting me and cheering me on, for celebrating the highs and the lows with me. I will always be grateful to you for buying my words.
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Kathleen Kelly was born in Penrith, NSW, Australia. When she was four, her family moved to Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Although born in NSW, she considers herself a QUEENSLANDER!
She married her childhood sweetheart, and they live in Toowoomba.
Kathleen enjoys writing contemporary romance novels with a little bit of steam. She draws her inspiration from family, friends, and the people around her. She can often be found in cafes writing and observing the locals.
If you have any questions about her novels or would like to ask Kathleen a question, she can be contacted via e-mail: [email protected] or she can be found on Facebook. She loves to be contacted by those that love her books.
Spark of Deception: MacKenny Brothers Series Book 4: An MC/Band of Brothers Romance Page 17
