Devil's Gamble

by Michele Arris

  She stared at him, her brown eyes probing. “Why?”

  “Because I know what it’s about.”

  “All the more reason to answer it. Get this last job over with.”

  She was right. Complete the final assignment, and then put all of it in his rearview mirror. Without listening to the message, he called Dylan back. A few rings in, the line picked up.

  “Gav, hey,” Dylan answered.

  “Yeah, what?” Gavin growled. Receiving a kiss at the center of his chest, he leveled his tone. “What time and where?” he asked as Sienna crawled on top of him. Gentle kisses skated across his stomach. Her lips laved along the hard angle of his hips, and she moved downward, giving his dick a long swipe with her tongue before she took him into her warm mouth. “Shhhhit,” he hissed.

  “No, it’s not that. I was calling to see if you’re coming to Pop’s party this afternoon. Gav, are you there?”

  Gavin bit the inside of his cheeks to focus. “Yeah, I’m here. I-I,” he looked down, and dark eyes stared back at him as she masterfully suckled the head of his cock. “Fuck yes, just like that,” he whispered. “Right there. Keep that up.”

  “Dude, what the . . . are you . . . damn, man, you could’ve just said you were busy.”

  Gavin swallowed deep. “Uh, yeah, I’m . . . I’m busy right now.” Dropping the phone on the bed, he tugged Sienna by the shoulders to get her to release him and had her lie on her stomach. With a light tug of her hips, he got behind her and spread her legs with his knees. He trailed a path of nips and licks over her smooth buttocks and along her spine, drawing out soft purrs from her.

  “I have great hearing, bro,” came from the open phone line, followed by a light chuckle. “Gav, it’s his birthday. You know the fam’s flying in from Dublin and Cork. Conal McCrae, the southeast head, is leaving his sick bed to be here. He and Pop go way back, as you know. Come pay your respects. After, if you want to jet, then jet.”

  “You can hear what I’m doing, yet you keep yammering. I’ll think about it. Gotta go.” Gavin ended the call.

  Easing into her sex from behind, he brought his legs on the outside of hers, adding pressure, forcing her thighs to close tightly around his length. His movements were slow and controlled, enjoying her. She took his hand and brought it between her legs, guiding his fingers to stroke her clit, unabashed to show him what she needed. He worked the pebbled flesh as he nibbled her earlobe, and her inner muscles clenched down on his shaft with each slow thrust. Her breathy sighs were long and deep as he took her body with loving tenderness.

  Entwining their fingers, his paced quickened, thrusting with gratifying fury, until their release struck with fierce spiraling force, and both collapsed to the mattress.

  Exhausted, sweat slicked their heated skin. He placed a kiss at the warm pulse of her neck as he worked to catch his breath. A sudden buzz from his cell reverberated beneath them. She fished the phone out and held it up. He opened the text message from Dylan, and they both read:

  If I must suffer through this day, so should you.

  “Will you go?” Sienna muffled partly into the pillow.

  The annual birthday bash was pretty much the only time Gavin showed his face at the house, and even then, it was a very short stay.

  She looked over her shoulder. “Well?”

  Gavin shifted his weight off her, came in close, and rested his head on the pillow to face her. “We planned to look at engagement rings.”

  “You should go. It’s your father’s birthday. We can look at rings later this week.”

  “I’ll go only if you come with me.” There was a hesitation. He played on it. “Picking out rings would be more fun. Do you have a particular style you like?”

  “I’ll go.”

  Shit, she’d read his game. “Sienna.” He stared at the filtering sunbeam cutting across the far wall, trying to think of something to say that would sway her.

  “We’re engaged. I’ll have to meet your family at some point.”

  Gavin drew her close, her back to his chest, still unable to believe she’d said yes. “You’d rather go to a birthday party than shop for an engagement ring?”

  “No, but your brother sounded like he really wants you there. Babe, it’s one day.”

  One day from hell. “So, that’s it, huh?” A nod. “Then I guess we’re going.”

  “For now,” she yawned, her eyelids low, “we’re going to sleep.” She turned in his arms. Her caressingly warm, nude body nestled against his, and she draped her thigh across his hip.

  Letting out a resigned sigh, Gavin sheltered her within his frame as a foreboding knot coiled in the pit of his gut.

  Then again, may as well get it over with. Better to let her meet the clan at a joyful family gathering, instead of during an All Hands on Deck family crisis. For the most part, according to Dylan, things had been quiet on the home front. But was it the calm before all hell broke loose?

  Chapter Thirty-three

  “My goodness, babe, this is where you grew up?”

  Sienna gaped out the window shield of the Lamborghini at the massive, gray stone mansion of her fiancé’s childhood home. The Kavanaghs’ compound was situated a little over two hours south of D.C., in Richmond, Virginia. The monstrous estate seemed so contrary to its rural surroundings.

  If she had blinked, she would have missed the obscure turn-off onto the private, narrow, winding gravel that led from the main road and was hidden among overgrown bushes and aged willows.

  “It’s one of the family homes. Except for major holidays and long breaks, I was away at school,” he said as they were waved through the gates by security.

  Sienna recognized one of the men manning the grounds. He’d stood at attention outside her hospital room. The man acknowledged her with a subtle incline of his head.

  Her sole purpose for coming had been so she could see firsthand what she was getting into with marrying Gavin. Eyes opened, no surprises, no regrets.

  All of the men were armed to the teeth. Quite an eye-opener, so far. “Guards? Really? You guys keep this level of heavy for a birthday party? And Virginia? I would’ve expected . . . I don’t know, some place like—”

  “It’s a conceal and carry state within the northeast territory.” He cut a look over, his stare drilling into her. “You were the one that wanted to come. We could be doing the whole champagne and diamonds hour right now, but nooo, you wanted to come here. And know that this isn’t your everyday backyard barbeque.”

  “I guess I didn’t realize . . . ” She left the rest unsaid as she stared back at him in understanding. Life at the Kavanaghs, she presumed.

  He parked close to the grand slated front steps of the entrance. There, a man sat perched on the top step of the landing smoking a cigarette. Watching them, he came to his feet and leaned back against the white stone pillar.

  Sienna turned back to Gavin. “We’re already several hours late.” Looking around, there were only two other vehicles parked on the front driveway. “Everyone has already left.”

  “Oh, they’re here, believe that. They’re parked over on the side field of the property. We can still leave.”

  She picked up the small, wrapped box from her lap. “We bought a gift. We can’t leave.”

  “The hell we can’t.” He plucked the box from her and chucked it into the glove compartment.

  “Babe, come on.” She pulled it back out, then brushed her thumb along the tense, chiseled angle of his right cheek. “We’re here now, and that man over there has called your name twice.”

  “That’s just Dylan.”

  “Your brother? Then introduce me.” She took his hand in hers and pressed a kiss on the back of it. “Let’s hang out for an hour or so, and then we’ll leave, okay?”

  With clear reluctance, he stepped out, rounded the car, and held the passenger door open for her to exit. They came up to Dylan.

  “I see Pop’s got you out here nursing your impending emphysema.”

  Dylan pivote
d his head to release the billow of smoke. “He stinks up the place with those Cuban cigars, but I can’t have a smoke anywhere inside the house.”

  “Good.” Gavin snatched the cigarette from between his brother’s fingers and flicked it onto the pavement.

  Dylan frowned. “Damn, come on, dude, not you, too.”

  “I don’t want that shit anywhere near me or my lady, got it?” Gavin turned his head to her beside him. “This is my fiancée, Sienna Keller.”

  Dylan’s eyes widened. “Fiancée? No shit? Really?” A broad smile broke across the man’s mouth. “Congrats.” The brothers shook hands and pulled in with slaps on the back, then Dylan stepped over and kissed her cheek. “Welcome to the family. You’re as beautiful as I pictured you’d be. Not sure why you’re with this lump.” He playfully gave a one-two punch to Gavin’s chest.

  Sienna smiled. “It’s great to meet you, Dylan.” The eldest brother was about the same height as Gavin, but slimmer. His burnt-blond hair and light freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose gave him a boyish charm.

  “I want to keep the engagement quiet for now,” Gavin said to his brother.

  Sienna cut a puzzled look at him, and he took her hand in his, offering a light squeeze, but no other explanation was given. Before she could ask why the heck for, the entrance door opened, and out walked Edwin.

  “Gav, I didn’t know you were in the housssse,” Edwin sang out. “Dyl, Pop’s looking for you.” His attention shifted. “Sienna, right?”

  Sienna nodded, noting how the young man’s gaze flickered down to her legs in her coral cotton sundress and back up, back and forth. He then looked at Dylan.

  “See, I told you she has great legs.”

  Gavin shot him a murderous scowl. “And I’m not opposed to kicking your ass in front of the entire family. You’re due one, that’s for damn certain.”

  “Dude, can’t you see it’s a compliment, damn.”

  “Vanish, Eddie.” Gavin glowered, and the young man quickly retreated.

  “Maybe one day he’ll grow up,” Dylan remarked on a chuckle. “Let’s head in.”

  Holding Gavin’s hand, Sienna walked with him into a grand entryway. They crossed the space and pushed through another set of gilded glass French doors that opened into an enormous great room with a thirty-foot or so, skylight-cathedral ceiling, oversize couches, heavy oak tables, and several double wide chairs. A lively tune, mostly of string instruments, poured in through the three sets of French doors that lay open wide. It gave her a good view of the festive crowd dancing out on the lawn.

  Inside, people congregated, chatting, dancing, and munching on party food served by circling waiters. There had to be at least fifty people inside and what looked to be double that outside. Many donned party hats and even wore costumes. Sienna felt she’d walked into a circus. The only thing missing was a man swallowing fire.

  “I’ll go see what Pop wants.” Dylan crossed the room and stepped outside.

  “Are all these people your relatives?” Sienna was astounded by the mass of bodies dancing, drinking, and singing.

  “Not all. My pop likes to do it up old school, like back in Ireland when he was young,” Gavin said as they strolled forward.

  It hadn’t been voiced very loud, but there was pitch added to hear over the music and mingled chatter, yet seated on one of the couches, three ladies’ heads turned—two twenty-somethings and one elder woman. The ladies stared back at Sienna with a scrutinizing eye. As if on cue, their gazes slid from her to Gavin. The attractive blonde yanked off her party hat, jumped up from her seat, rushed to him, and practically leaped into his arms. His sister, Caren, Sienna presumed. The young lady and she exchanged an acknowledging smile.

  The dark-haired young lady came forward next. A subtle smirk that could only be described as a play on sensual, curved the lady’s mouth as she slipped both arms around Gavin’s waist, rose on the insteps of her spiky-heeled sandals, and kissed him smack dab on the mouth. Sienna’s eyes fluttered. What the hell . . .

  “So you decided to come,” the young lady said, her attention solely on Gavin.

  As if remembering her standing beside him, with his cheeks flushed full of color, he gave a look over, and Sienna returned a questioning stare. He was smart to take her hand.

  “Uh, Abela, Caren, this is my lady, Sienna Keller.”

  Caren’s ocean-blue eyes brightened. “Wow, Gav, you have a girlfriend? And you’re actually allowing us to meet her?” She smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I’m starting to think I’m an anomaly,” Sienna said jokingly as she shook Caren’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “You are an anomaly in a way. My brother is very private, that’s all.”

  “Gavin, you didn’t mention a girlfriend when we made plans to meet,” Abela cut in.

  Meet? Sienna jerked a look at Gavin. To say he looked uncomfortable in his skin would be putting it mildly.

  Receiving an assessing once-over from Abela, Sienna also realized that the girl still hadn’t acknowledged her. Abela’s behavior was like that of a jealous ex. Have she and Gavin . . . no, that would be frickin’ creepy. Gavin saw her as his adopted sister.

  “Where are your manners, boy?”

  Their attention flew to the elder woman who spoke from her seat on the couch. With Gavin’s hand on her lower spine, Sienna was led before the woman.

  “Nana Rue, it’s great to see you.” He bent and kissed her cheek. “Did you have a comfortable flight?”

  “God-awful. I hate flying,” she groused in a thick Irish accent.

  “Rowena Kavanagh is my grandmother,” he said and looked back at the woman. “Nana Rue, this is my lady, Sienna Keller.”

  “Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Sienna stuck out her hand and received a weak shake and rapid release.

  An index finger righted the black, hard-rimmed glasses up the bridge of the woman’s narrow nose as she delivered a scrutinizing scan up and down. “Where are you from?”

  Sienna blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

  “What are you? Your family?”

  “Nana, that’s not important,” Gavin lightly chided.

  Dylan came back inside, and Edwin was close on his heels. Behind them, a man pushing another man in a wheelchair entered. The big, strapping man was bent near the frail man’s ear, whispering as he guided the chair forward.

  “Happy birthday, Pop,” Gavin called out, and both men looked up. The man behind the wheelchair straightened to his full height.

  Wow!

  With the gift in hand, Gavin led her over to meet Murtagh Kavanagh. Sienna had pictured the mobster king to resemble the guys from the movies. She wasn’t too far off. Gavin was about six-four and even he had to look up to meet his father’s gaze. He was a hulking bear of a man. Yet, in contradiction, his reddish hair with sprinkles of gray was parted on the right and neatly combed back, reminding her of the 1940s, polished look. His pale blue button-down fitted over broad shoulders, a taut abdomen, and tucked within neat, gray slacks. Raw power—confident without the cocky.

  “Pop, this is my lady, Sienna Keller,” Gavin said.

  There was a slight flare of surprise in his eyes before he extended his large, strong hand. “So, you’re the lady my son would move heaven and earth to protect.”

  “I wouldn’t say heaven and earth.” Sienna grinned. The man’s stoic, green gaze pinned down on her, and the medley of voices in the entire room seemed to dull. What was she thinking? This man could have her clipped with a mere wink of an eye. Bailey had often said Sienna was her own audience at times. Perhaps this was the time to take heed of that.

  Loud laughter suddenly broke from the man, startling her. The rock you on your heels, wind tunnel resonance kind of surprised sound. It shook her up mainly because he’d look ready to munch on her insides just a moment before. The entire room quieted, appearing to have gotten struck by the force of it.

  Beefy hands came down on the narrow
shoulders of the fragile, bald man in the wheelchair. “I think I like this lass.”

  Did he actually say lass? His Irish accent hadn’t been as pronounced until just then.

  Murtagh tapped the wheelchair-bound man’s right shoulder once more. “Conal, you remember Gavin, my middle boy?”

  “Of course. Look at you. You’ve grown into a fine man. I remember when you were no taller than my knee.” Conal’s spindly fingers patted Murtagh’s hand that palmed his right shoulder. “You got yourself three fine boys. Blessed you have been, my old friend.”

  “Mr. McCrae, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Gavin shook his hand. “Sorry to hear about your health.”

  “The cruel bastard may win this battle, but I won’t make it easy.”

  A hoarse chuckle brought about a rustling cough. He used the handkerchief on his lap to wipe away the light spittle as Sienna once again was given a blatant look over. What is with these people? “Aren’t you a pretty lass,” he said in an almost strangled voice.

  Lass again. She smiled politely. “Thank you.”

  “Gavin, you got yourself a beauty there,” Conal said.

  Gavin looked at her, his love for her openly expressed in his gaze. “I know.”

  He handed over the gift box. “Here you go, Pop. It’s a gold cigar clip.”

  “Thank you. It’s just what I needed. I can’t seem to find my favorite one. It has grown legs,” Murtagh said in an elevated tone, and everyone’s attention seemed to swing to him on cue.

  Queasiness threatened to churn in Sienna’s stomach from the whiff of grilled fish carried on the warm breeze. She turned her head away to escape the pungent herb aroma. Her eyes widened at the sight of a man running a large knife down the belly of a dead pig, its entrails spilling into a bucket. Ew, gross. To his left another fresh full pig rotated over a fired spit. She swallowed repeatedly, trying her best not to vomit. Giving a look at Gavin, she was glad to see the look of concern in his eyes, having picked up on her distress.

  “Hey,” he called to a waiter carrying a tray of empty glasses, “can we get a glass of water with lemon?” The guy nodded and hurried off.