by D. L. Raver
“No, not ooh, Kenna. It’s highly dangerous and believe me there’s nothing ooh about it. It’s not a glamorized Hollywood action movie.” The thought she’d be involved turned my stomach, and I grabbed her forearms and shook her to get my point through her head, but it didn’t matter. I could see the excitement dance in her eyes.
“I’m in. Include me in this Ceilte. If Sloan’s in it, then so am I.” She pushed out of my hold and gave me a censoring glare.
“Done!” Kieran grinned wickedly at me.
I moved in Kieran’s direction, stopping only when I was directly in his face. “No! You did this to her. Break it now, Kieran. You promised!”
“Kenna freely volunteered. I did nothing to influence her. Accepting her offer does not fly in the face of our agreement.” He stepped back from me and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s a done deal.”
“She doesn’t have a fucking clue what she’s getting into. You can’t condemn her to a lifetime of service. She thinks it’s bloody James Bond!”
“As I said, she made me an offer, and I accepted. Once rung, the bell cannot be unrung. You haven’t seen the progress she’s made. I have.”
“That’s because you directed her; molded her. This was what you wanted all along, isn’t it? I can just imagine the kinds of training you put her through the last several weeks. Let me guess, you trained her the same way you would train any new operative?”
“I did. I wanted Kenna to get her power back, and what better way than to train her to be one of us? Now, she has it and, in doing so, she has all the hallmarks necessary to make a fine operative given she completes the rest of the training. She has a warrior’s spirit, Sloan. Surely you’ve recognized that in her?” He dusted off his hands and moved to leave the room, not brothering to wait for my response. When Kieran was done, he was done.
“It’s fine, Sloan really.” Kenna put a hand on my shoulder and I turned around.
“No, it’s not. You don’t know what you’ve just committed to—what it involves. The people we deal with are the worst of mankind. Far worse than Marcus and Joe could ever dream of being. These hands …” I held up my hands in her face. "I’ve killed people with these hands and I don’t regret a single one. The Ceilte acts as judge, jury, and executioner. I was made for this, you weren’t. I come from a world of violence. You don’t.”
“You’re wrong. I do know a world of violence.” She stiffened and threw her shoulders back. “Marcus and Joe unwillingly introduced it to me, and nothing I can do will ever change that. Answer me this, did the people you killed deserve to die? Did you serve humanity by ending their lives?”
“Aye,” Kieran and I answered simultaneously and unequivocally.
“Good enough for me. If you don’t mind, I’d really like some alone time with my boyfriend.” Kenna grabbed me by the arm and started to move forward.
“We’re not staying here,” I protested and stopped dead in my tracks, causing Kenna to stumble slightly.
“Why not?” Kenna whirled around and glared at me. “Look Sloan, there’s one thing we need to get straight between the three of us right now. I know you don’t like Kieran’s manipulative ways, and believe me, I’m not thrilled with them either.”
She paused and glared at Kieran who kept an impassive expression on his pompous face.
“He helped me, Sloan. Like, really helped me. Sure, it was unconventional, but if not for him, I’d still be an emotional wreck. Recovering would have taken years.”
Her stance relaxed, and her gaze softened. When she stroked my cheek, I closed my eyes, loving the feel of her touching me.
Admittedly, the woman I now had before me was not the woman who left me all those weeks ago. Everything about her spoke of a new-found strength. To deny that would be would be akin to denying her.
“Who knows if we could have survived my recovery. We have a chance now. A real chance.”
I opened my eyes and kissed her hand. “Answer me this. Did he kiss you? Did he try to fuck you?”
Kenna’s stance deflated and then stiffened again. “Yes.”
I took the few steps that separated me from Kieran and punched him hard in the face.
His face snapped to the side and blood spurted from his mouth, soiling his ivory button down shirt. He glanced down at the splatters and frowned but didn’t retaliate.
“Sloan!” Kenna yelled but I ignored her.
“Are we clear?” I growled, shaking out my hand. I had forgotten just how hard his handsome face could be.
“Crystal.” Kieran turned to leave but stopped. Without turning around, he said, “The baby wasn’t Sloan’s.”
He left the room, leaving Kenna and I staring at each other in complete bewilderment.
“Did you tell him about the pregnancy?” I asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
“No, I didn’t,” she answered with a tremor shaking her voice.
“This is what I hate about him.” I was about to expound further until I saw the pain in Kenna’s eyes. I stepped forward and rested my forehead on hers.
“We’ll never know for sure, love. As much as I can’t believe I’m about to say this, I think we should view Kieran’s words as a gift so we can move on.”
“Okay,” she said weakly. “It’s just the thought of your baby….”
“I know. But not yet. We have time.” We both closed our eyes as we held each other. Whether Kieran knew what we couldn’t, we’d never know. The what if’s, however, had to stop.
Kenna sighed and stepped back from me, fisting her hands on her hips. “Did you really have to punch him, Sloan?”
The new confident glint in her eye turned me on. Even her posture spoke of her new-found confidence. I hated and loved Kieran for giving that to her. Part of me wished I could have been the one to help her heal. Unfortunately, that just wasn’t my role, and I needed to find a way to be okay with that. My role now was to be present in our relationship.
“You don’t know Kieran like I do,” I said, feeling the need to discredit my mentor and sometimes frenemy. “He will always test your boundaries, so you need to stand firm with him always. And I get that he helped you, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that—more than you know. But he made that comment to shell shock the both of us and prove he knows shit he shouldn’t know. Don’t think for a minute he said that because he wanted to help us. Maybe somewhat, but not completely.”
“Okay.” She let out a long exhalation.
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Did I cheat?” she asked me with regret sparking in her eyes and her confident posture deflating a little.
“Cheat?”
“With Kieran?”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Kenna. Cheat in what fashion?” I tried to keep my voice neutral, but I heard the accusation in it.
Kenna shook her head. “I mean cheat by letting Kieran help me. You know with the memories of what happened?”
“Oh.” I ran my hands through my hair. “I don’t know, love. Maybe cheat isn’t the best word. You were lucky Kieran could give you that gift. Do I wish I could have been the one to give it to you? Absolutely. But I wasn’t and that’s okay.”
“I think about Irelyn and Delaney, and I feel like I cheated. They didn’t get a shortcut, you know?” She started biting her non-existent nails and I could tell this really bothered her.
“I can’t answer that for you, but again, don’t ever fully trust Kieran. He keeps his own agendas we aren’t always privy to. While I think his taking you on had everything to do with forcing my hand, we can’t know for sure. Kieran does nothing for free and nothing selflessly. His acceptance of you into the Ceilte came way too fast. Somehow, we played into his hands without knowing, and he ended up getting everything he wanted. That doesn't sit well with me, but it is what it is.”
“Look, I’m not stupid. I figured it out all on my own he has ulterior motives. But I do trust him. We both know he has wicked, mad skills that are beyond normal. One
might even say supernatural.”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. I wasn’t about to tell her Paddy considered him ageless. That would only prove a point I chose to ignore. “I hate that term. Personally, I don’t believe in anything I can’t explain.”
“Really?” Kenna’s lips curved into a half-knowing smile. “So you’re telling me you’ve dismissed everything about the Emerald? I don’t believe you, Sullivan. We both know the Emerald has some kind of unexplainable power. I’ve felt it and so have you.”
“When did you ever handle the Emerald?”
“The night of Chris’ funeral. I found it on the balcony while you were sleeping. When I picked it up, it started humming.” Kenna shrugged as if it was perfectly acceptable that an uncut emerald would do such a thing.
“Hummed? Are you bloody kidding me? Whatever. It doesn’t matter. It’s not my problem anymore. Thank you God.” I glanced heavenward, feeling truly grateful to have that albatross off my back. I returned my gaze to her. “Just how long have you known my truth?”
“For a few years. Paddy told me just before he died.”
“He told you about Liam but not Kieran and the Ceilte?” I bit the corner of my mouth as I tried to understand why Paddy hadn’t told her everything.
“Yep. Believe me, I would have never agreed to go to Santa Barbara had I known about Kieran beforehand. You know, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if Paddy knew telling me would change the course of our future?
“Fuck, Kenna. I won’t pretend to have any understanding of Paddy’s motivations. In some ways, the old man was just as elusive as Kieran. I guess none of that matters now.”
“It’s been hard not telling you.” The corner of her lovely mouth stretched into a one-sided frown. “I often wondered how things might have been different if I had told you I knew. But, I promised him I’d wait for the right time. This was definitely it.”
“Aye. The past is the past. What matters now is that we’re together and you’re mine!” I sighed and pulled her to me, crushing my lips on hers.
“Yours,” she mumbled as she melted into me. My own body hummed with need for her. This time would be different from all the other times before, because this time, we were free of the secret that kept us apart. I pressed my lips to her pulse point on her neck and gently sucked. Her Kennaness filled me, enticing me; igniting me.
My attentions made her shiver, and suddenly I didn’t give a shit about Kieran, the Ceilte, or anything else that had happened. All I wanted to do was take my woman to bed and show her how much I missed her.
“Enough.” This time I took her hand and pulled her to the door. “Show me where our room is because I have other plans that don’t include talking.”
Chapter Thirty
Kenna
WE’D BARELY SHUT the door when Sloan’s mouth found mine. He was on me like a man possessed and hungry, devouring my lips as his tongue plundered my mouth.
This was Sloan in a primal and needful state, and this would be the kind of sex that left a trail of ripped shirts, torn panties, and sailing buttons in its wake.
I loved every minute of it—loved we could finally come together with nothing between us.
Sloan and I were starting over from this minute forward. There would be no more sneaking off after or feeling torn between me and his inherited mandate.
We were free to love and free to finally live our lives.
Passion flared between us as our naked bodies stumbled toward the bed. Sloan pushed me down and we laid across the bed sideways. He took complete control of me, and I bowed to his dominance. When his mouth landed between my legs, and his wicked, talented tongue started to suck my clit, I screamed his name and lifted my hips.
His large hands pushed me back onto the bed as he kept his focus on my clit, propelling me to ecstasy’s edge. Two fingers worked their way inside me, searching for that wonderful spot that would send me flying.
It didn’t take long for me to fall apart and fall over the edge. My head frantically turned from side to side as I called out his name. His ministrations didn’t stop until I came down and passion’s quivers and quakes ebbed.
As I laid there whimpering, Sloan looked up at me from between my legs with a self-satisfied grin. When he licked the remnants of my orgasm off his lips, I felt myself flush. Seeing him do that was fucking hot, and any embarrassment I felt quickly dissipated as he inched up my body, pressing his hard body into my softer one.
“Your body has changed, love. You were fucking hot before, but fuck!”
I gasped and squirmed when he took my hard nipple in his mouth, sucking and gently biting. I arched into him as he moved his attentions to my other breast. My hands threaded through his hair and I moaned his name.
Sloan made the final move that brought his mouth to mine, kissing me with a frantic, spiraling need to be together.
He positioned his length at my opening, but didn’t take me.
“Are we good to go?” he asked in a hoarse voice, his gunmetal grays dancing with need and impatience. “I need to be inside you.”
“Yeah. We’re good.” While his question took me aback just a little, it wasn’t a total surprise. Though he hadn’t asked during our last time together, this time he wanted to make sure we learned from past mistakes.
Sloan pushed into me and I groaned. “Oh God, Sloan.”
He kissed me again, pushing his tongue deep into my mouth, insistent and questing while the rest of him stayed still.
“You feel so good, M’fhíorghrá. I love you. Fuck, I love you so much.” His gaze locked on mine as his hand skimmed my face before his fingers toyed with my hair.
“I love you too,” I moaned and tightened my muscles around him in an effort to spur him on.
He gave me another devastatingly wicked grin before finally giving into my demands, making my body tense at his possession.
Sloan wasn’t exactly small, and it had been weeks since we’d been together. I took a few deep breaths and commanded myself to relax and let him love me.
“Mine!” he declared as he began to move in earnest. “So tight. So perfect. All mine!”
“Yours,” I answered. All the other times I’d said that to him didn’t matter, because now the declaration had weight and truth behind it.
We moved together as he filled me over and over, his cock stretching me, and leaving me aching in the most delicious of ways.
I pulled up my knees, driving him deeper inside me.
“Fuck Kenna, you’re killing me. I’m trying to last, but being inside you is…” His word cut off with a protracted “Ooh” as I clenched tighter around him.
More “I love you’s” and other strange, less-intelligible words spoken in our own sex language fell from our lips as we made love.
“Don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” I begged. When he glanced down between us to watch our union, I almost came.
Sloan returned his heavy-lidded gaze to mine with a look of pure unadulterated male appreciation on his face. Watching him lose himself while he loved me was fucking hot.
He picked up his pace, his movements becoming crazed as his orgasm approached. When he reached between us and found my clit, the way he always did, I lost control and flew apart again, my nails digging into his back.
Sloan followed after me, taking my mouth in a possessive kiss as he thrust deeply into me one last time. He broke the kiss and buried his face in my neck as we retreated from our orgasmic bliss.
Our lovemaking had been cathartic and healing; a chance for us to connect in a real and truthful way.
“Fuck,” he grunted, lifting his face to look at me deeply in the eyes. “That was—”
“Fucking incredible,” I answered for him, returning his stare.
In this moment, we were caught in our own secluded bubble; both of us finally in the same place at the same time. We could love each other openly without fear of breaking the trust of the man who’d put us in a situation we should have never been put in. While
I loved Paddy, I also kind of hated him for doing that to us.
“What were you just thinking?” Sloan asked as he rolled off me and pulled me to him.
I laid my head on his chest and listened to his rapidly beating heart.
“Nothing.” I didn’t want to burst our bubble.
“Not nothing, Kenna. I see it in your eyes. Tell me.” He tilted my chin, forcing me to look at him. “We don’t keep things from each other. Not anymore.”
“Fine,” I sighed. “I was just thinking about what Paddy did to us. He put you in a terrible position that forced you to lie to all the people you wanted in your life. Kept you an outsider from your family. I get that he tried to protect you, but he almost destroyed us. There were times I wanted to walk away, but after he told me, I couldn’t.”
“You wanted something different from me that I wasn’t in a position to give it you. Maybe he knew if he linked us together with my secret that you’d stay even when you wanted to leave,” Sloan said and kissed my forehead.
“Sometimes, I wonder if that’s why Paddy told me, so I wouldn’t walk away,” I mused.
“I’ll admit I grew complacent in the fact that you stayed. Even when I continuously pushed you away, you never left.”
“I wanted so badly to comfort you, or to take some of your burden as my own, but he hamstringed me. I kind of hate him for that.”
“Kenna, you have no idea how many times I wanted to tell you. If you have regrets, well I have a truck load. I hated I had to be a dick to you because of the lie my life had become. More than anything, I wanted to let you in, but I didn’t. I hurt you deeply as a result. While part of me also hates Paddy for the position he put me in, I hate myself more for what I did to you.”
He kissed me, long and slow, and in his kiss I felt his apology, but I also felt his relief and joy that we’d survived.
“I don’t deserve for you to love me Kenna Campbell, but fuck I’m glad you do.”
“I do love you, Sloan. I’ve always loved you. You have no idea how scared I was that my leaving had ruined us for good. But somehow, here we are.” This time I kissed him deeply, passionately, letting all my angst and joy flood forward.
