Spark of Vengeance: MacKenny Brothers Series Book 2: An MC/Band of Brothers Romance

by Kathleen Kelly

  “Were you nice?” asks Beth.

  “I’m always nice.” Kyle snorts, and Angus’ mouth hangs open. “What?”

  “It’s a deep scar you’re going to have there, brother,” states Kyle as he finishes what’s left of my breakfast.

  “Chicks dig scars.”

  “Do they now?” Beth has a frown on her face, and she’s looking at me with one eyebrow raised.

  “Yeah, you’re a chick, you like it.”

  “Beth’s not a chick,” states Cutter.

  “Yeah, she’s no chick,” agrees Kyle.

  “Beth’s a lady,” asserts Angus.

  “Thank you,” replies Beth as she sits straighter then pins me with a look.

  “Okay, you, like scars.”

  Beth shakes her head and looks back at the others.

  Angus makes a noise, and when I look up at him, he’s grinning at Beth. I pick up a paper napkin, screw it into a ball, and throw it at him hitting him on the cheek.

  “Shut up and eyes off of Beth.”

  The waitress comes over and fills up coffee cups, then scurries away. I smirk at Beth, who again shakes her head at me.

  “Is she the one?” asks Kyle.

  “Yeah, she’s the one who tipped off the shooter. Told him we were in town.”

  Kyle’s top lip curls back in a snarl, and he looks over his shoulder at her.

  Beth places a hand on his arm. “She apologized. Leave it be.”

  Kyle turns his face to Beth and stares at her for a moment, then to me. “Fine.”

  He swivels back around, but a look passes between him and Cutter. I know my brother, he won’t let this lie. Standing, I walk over to the counter and Tamara.

  “Can I get those breakfasts to go?”

  “Y-Yes,” she squeaks out.

  I nod at her and go back to the table. With my hand on Kyle’s shoulder, I look down at him.

  “Come on, brother, let’s get you three cleaned up and eat somewhere a little more private. Beth, can you bring the food when it’s packed up?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll wait with her.”

  “Angus, you’re coming, too.”

  He shakes his head and looks up at me. Whatever he sees on my face makes him raise his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Unless, of course, you think you need help, Beth?”

  “My woman is perfectly capable of bringing us food.”

  Beth giggles. “Want to pee on my leg, too?”

  Kyle stands and barks out a laugh. “I like her. Come on… we’re all going.” He looks down at Beth. “Thanks for getting the food.”

  Beth smiles sweetly at him, I bend, kiss her quickly, and push the other three out the diner’s door.

  We’re standing in front of the cabin. I had previously come back up here on my own while my brothers slept and dragged Robert Bates inside.

  Beth hangs back. I didn’t want her to come, but she insisted, and there is no stopping her.

  “Sit… on the stump. You don’t need to see.”

  She smiles wanly at me, nods, and walks away.

  “She shot him right between the eyes?” asks Kyle on a whisper.

  “Yeah.”

  He nods, clearly impressed. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  “Wait.” All three men look at me. “Scope’s been dead for days, and now with Bates, it’s going to smell bad in there.”

  Kyle has both hands on his hips. “Yeah.”

  “I’ll go in. Bates will have fingerprints. It’ll be easier for our friendly Special Agent Stephen Jamieson to run those, and we get to make sure that’s who he really is.”

  Jamieson is a dirty FBI agent. We were lucky enough to blackmail him into working for us after the mess with Maddock.

  “You go. We go,” states Kyle.

  Steeling myself against the smell, I swing open the door. What’s left of Scope is still in the chair, and Bates is lying face up, dead eyes open staring at the ceiling.

  Angus gags and puts his hand to his mouth.

  “Don’t you fucking dare,” growls Cutter. “You vomit, and I’ll lose my load. You keep that shit locked down.”

  Angus nods and makes gulping noises, but his complexion has gone pale as fuck.

  “Don’t breathe through your nose, it makes it worse,” I say as I lay a hand on his shoulder.

  Angus gulps once more and nods. I glance at Kyle, who shrugs.

  Angus walks into the room with a laptop firmly gripped in one hand and a cell in the other.

  “What are you going to do?”

  Angus glances at me. “Could you hold up his hand? I need to get a clear image of his fingerprints.”

  Not that I’d ever admit this to my brothers, but the idea of touching the dead guy along with the smell makes my stomach roll. I don’t look at Bates as I crouch, straighten his fingers and let Angus take his pictures. In my mind, I’m somewhere else—any-fucking-where is better than being in this foul-smelling cabin.

  “Okay, now the other hand.”

  Mechanically, I move around the body and go through the same motions.

  Kyle and Cutter open drawers to go through Scope’s cabin.

  “I’m done.”

  Immediately, I drop the hand and straighten. “We done?” I ask Kyle.

  He nods once, and I exit the cabin, striding over to Beth. She’s facing the woods, her back to me. Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her to me.

  “You okay?”

  Beth nods. “Was it bad?”

  I huff out a breath. “Just the smell.”

  “Right.”

  “Let’s burn this fucker down,” says Kyle from behind us.

  I release Beth, turn around, and stand next to Kyle. Cutter’s already dousing the inside of the cabin with gasoline. The man has a creepy grin plastered on his face.

  Kyle catches me staring. “Cutter’s a firebug. If you need something to burn, he can make it look like an accident. No idea how, so I let him do his thing,” explains Kyle quietly.

  I raise my eyebrows and turn down my lips as I nod. “Kind of explains a lot.”

  “He’s loyal.”

  “I know.”

  “Cutter, light it up,” Kyle announces loudly.

  The creepy grin on his face becomes wider. “We should all stand back.”

  I feel Beth come up behind me, her forehead is pressed against my back, and slowly her arms encircle me. I place my hands over hers and pat them lightly while telling her, “We should move back.”

  Her hands fall away and so does she. I turn and place my arm around her, and we walk away from the cabin. There’s a whooshing sound, and Beth tenses.

  “It’s okay, country girl. The fire will wipe away all DNA and anything else which could tie us to this.”

  “Won’t people see the fire?”

  “We are pretty far out. They might see the smoke, but if Cutter is as good as Kyle says, the cabin is the only thing that will burn down.”

  “And the bodies,” Beth whispers.

  “Yes, and those, too.”

  A shuddering breath shakes her body, so I tighten my grip and kiss the top of her head. I feel her shoulders shake, and I wish I could take away whatever it is she’s feeling. My heart breaks as Beth lets her demons out. We stay like this for a while, the others giving us space, and I wait for Beth to give me a sign she’s okay. This is different from before when she’s been upset—this time she is quiet and composed. Before when Beth has lost control, she’s let it all out. Her demeanor is unsettling, and I don’t like it.

  “Sean?” I lift my head and look at Kyle. “We should go.”

  “You guys go ahead, we’ll be along in a minute.”

  “Not smart, man. We should stick together,” interjects Cutter.

  “Give me a minute,” I growl.

  Kyle pushes Cutter ahead of him. Angus nods once. Then the three of them begin walking toward the bikes. Slowly, I pull back from Beth, but she continues to look down, so I place a finger un
der her chin and raise it. It takes a moment, but eventually, her eyes find mine.

  “Don’t.” A single tear falls down her cheek. “Don’t?”

  I cup her face and kiss her forehead, leaving my lips pressed to her skin as I whisper, “It’s okay to cry, yell, or even scream. But this… what you’re doing right now… it’s not good for you.” Leaning back, I lock eyes with her. “The guys have all been where you are now. No one will think less of you. Hell, your dad once broke down over a child he found blown to shit. And he was one of the strongest men I’ve ever known.”

  Beth’s bottom lip begins to quiver, no more tears fall, as she holds it in. I take her hand in mine, and we walk toward the others. Her grip is solid, and I glance down at her. Beth’s face is without emotion, she’s breathing hard in an attempt to keep herself under control.

  As we approach the others, Kyle lifts his head at me, and I shrug. He levels his gaze on Beth and frowns. He, too, knows holding these types of emotion in can do more harm than good. I climb on my bike and hold out my hand to Beth, she grasps it firmly and climbs on.

  “You two go back to the motel. We’re going to contact the Fed. See what we can find out.”

  I nod at Kyle and start my bike. Beth places her hands on my hips, and I feel her head press against the middle of my back. I look at Kyle. He shakes his head and points at Beth. I nod. I know he’s concerned about her, and it’s his way of ensuring I make sure she’s okay. I take my time going back to the motel, keep the bike just under the speed limit, and enjoy the ride.

  When we finally make it back to the motel, I park the bike and turn it off.

  Beth makes no move to get off.

  Twisting in the seat, I look at her. “We’re here, country girl.”

  “I know. Thanks for the nice ride home.”

  I chuckle. “You’ve been away from the ranch too long. This isn’t home.”

  “I sold it.”

  “The ranch?”

  “Well, almost… sort of…” her voice trails off as she gets off the bike.

  I throw my leg over the bike and lean against it, just staring at Beth. “What does that mean?”

  Beth shrugs and looks at the parking lot entrance. “Myles Graham made me an offer. I was supposed to go and sign the paperwork.” Her gaze finally settles on me. “It’s a good offer.”

  “Do you want to sell?”

  “Yes… maybe… I’m not sure.”

  I straighten up and put an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s move inside and talk it out.”

  Beth nods and allows me to guide her inside. She automatically goes to the bed and sits on the edge. There’s an old wooden chair near the door, so I drag it in front of her and sit.

  “Why did you want to sell the ranch?”

  Beth chews on her bottom lip and leans back on her elbows. “I felt like the house was filled with too many memories. I felt overwhelmed at the time. You had left, and I guess I was thinking… there’s nothing there for me anymore.”

  I quirk an eyebrow and frown. “You sold the house because of me?”

  Beth shakes her head and gives me a small smile. “No, but you did help me make the decision. I asked myself a few questions. Why am I staying there? Why can’t I get any help? The ranch is too big for one person...” Beth wraps her arms around herself and nods. “It’s the right decision.”

  I place my hands on her knees, lean down, and look into her eyes. “You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.”

  Beth touches my face and sweeps her thumb along my jaw. “I’m not. I’ll buy another ranch, maybe something smaller. I was thinking of San Francisco, so I’m closer to my mom.”

  I sit back, and my hands fall from her legs. “San Francisco?”

  “Yeah.”

  I fake a smile and take her hands in mine. “Sounds good, country. I can see you with all the surfer dudes.”

  Beth chuckles. “I’ll be way out of San Francisco. There’s no way I’d be able to afford land close to the city, but I will be closer to family.”

  I nod and hold her hands to my lips. “Family is important.”

  “You’ll come visit, won’t you?”

  I shake my head. “Yeah, yeah.”

  “Sean, you’re saying yes, but your head is shaking no.”

  I sigh and interlace her fingers with mine. “Kyle isn’t going to let me go anywhere for a while. I will come and see you, but I have obligations, priorities that I’ll need to take care of.”

  “I’m not a priority?”

  I stand and pull her up with me. “Right now, you’re my only priority.”

  My lips brush hers, and Beth leans back away from me. “I need to come first.”

  This isn’t a conversation I want to have right now, so I grip the back of her head and crush her lips to mine. At first, Beth is resistant, but the moment I massage her breast, she melts into me, and her tongue plays with mine.

  Without breaking the kiss, I undo her belt, then the button to her jeans, and finally the zipper. Beth moans when I slip my hand inside her panties. I break the kiss and pepper a few down her neck then fall to my knees. I wrench down her jeans and panties in one fluid movement, so they’re halfway down her legs. Gripping her ass, I pull her toward me and taste her. Beth cries out at the first swipe of my tongue, so I delve deeper and suck, and she grips the back of my head while panting out my name.

  Leaning back, I look up at her, my eyes glazed with desire. “Sit down and lay back.”

  Beth does as she’s told while I take off both shoes and pull her clothes off the rest of the way.

  “Sean?”

  I rise, then cover her body with my own. I silence her question with a kiss and plunge two fingers inside her. Beth arches at my touch and whimpers. I smile as I swallow her moans and relish in the way she reacts to my touch.

  I’ve had plenty of women, but Beth? There’s never been better.

  Like a sword going into a scabbard, we fit perfectly, and all I want to do is please her.

  Roughly, I pull up her T-shirt and suck her nipple through her bra until I feel it tighten and pebble, then I keep going, biting, licking, and with each moan, I become more excited. My cock strains against the confines of my jeans, begging to be set free. Beth’s neatly trimmed pussy is slick with her desire. I slip my hands under her ass and run my tongue over her clit.

  “Sean!”

  I do it again and again, the taste of her nearly has me extricating myself and plunging into her, but this, this is all about her. I slip two fingers inside and suck on her little nub. Her pussy walls clench around me as she rides my face and fingers and screams my name.

  When her body stops quivering, I unzip my jeans and release my cock. Beth’s hair is splayed out over the pillows, her eyes are closed, and she looks content like a woman who’s had her fill, but I’m not done with her yet.

  “Babe, roll over.”

  Almost trance-like, she does as she’s told while keeping her eyes closed. I position myself between her legs, slip an arm under her, forcing Beth to her hands and knees.

  “Sean?” Beth’s voice sounds almost sleepy.

  “You didn’t think we were finished, did you?”

  Slowly, I enter her, relishing the feel of Beth as her body accepts my cock. She arches her back, locks her elbows, and throws her head back as I pump in and out of her. Gripping Beth’s hips, I move her faster, digging my nails into her creamy soft skin. There’s no protest from her, only a long, loud moan.

  When the familiar tingle begins to start in my balls, I reach under her and press my finger to her clit. “Need you to come again for me, baby.”

  “So close,” pants Beth.

  I swirl my finger over her nub and bite into the flesh on her back and suck. Beth responds with a squeal, and her pussy contracts around my cock, pushing me over the edge. My release washes over me, and I come inside her, growling my pleasure as I do. Straightening up, I stroke her back and down her thighs. Being inside a woman has never felt this
good.

  With care, I extract myself, and Beth falls onto her stomach. Lying beside Beth, with an arm draped over her, she pushes herself against me.

  “That was good, but Sean, our conversation isn’t over.”

  I grin into the back of her neck, glad I found someone who calls me on my bullshit and knows when I’m trying not to talk about something.

  “Later, baby.”

  “Yep, later, when I’ve had some sleep.”

  Beth

  There’s nothing like feeling loved. The way this man worships my body and takes care of me every single time we are together cements how much I mean to him, but it’s not only the sex. It’s the way he tracks my movements, can tell if I’m unhappy, and comforts me when I lose it. I’m not an inconvenience nor an imposition.

  But his loyalty to his club and his family could come between us.

  It’s dark, and Sean has his arm over me, so I slide out from underneath. He grumbles but doesn’t wake. With a smile, I tiptoe into the bathroom, pick up my cell as I pass the cupboard. Not wanting to turn on the overhead light, I use the flashlight app on my phone. Even with that, my eyes protest at the sudden brightness of the room. Pulling my hair into a bun on top of my head, I turn on the water and enter the shower cubicle. It takes a minute for the hot water to get to me, but once it does, I sigh. I love bathing in low light, and at home I use candles. The flashlight is a little brighter than a candle, but it still feels intimate.

  The door to the bathroom opens, and Sean sticks his head in. “You left me.”

  “Only temporarily.”

  With a grunt, he stumbles into the room and joins me in the shower. Sean lathers up his hands and washes me. It’s not sexual at all. It’s simply his way again of taking care of me. When he’s done, I kiss him softly on the lips, and he smiles.

  “You okay, country?”

  “Yeah. You want me to stay?”

  “Nah, I’ll only be a minute.”

  Leaving him under the spray, I wipe myself down and wait for him to step out, and as he emerges from the shower, I toss him a towel. He smiles and wipes his face first. I use my towel to wipe down his back.

  “Feel better?”

  “There’s something about a nice hot shower.”

  Sean grunts, and we go back to the bed, this time pulling the sheet and blankets up to snuggle underneath. I lie on my side, and Sean spoons me. Within moments, he’s asleep, and I listen to the sound of his breathing as it evens out. His hand, even in sleep, wraps around my waist, protectively pulling me close.