This Kieran is not the Kieran I met last night. This one is showing me respect. This one is working for my affection. This one is trying to win my heart.
But after last night, it may be too little, too late.
Worst timing ever.
I was making progress with Westlyn. She’s bending. Every minute we spend together, I can feel it happening more and more. She’s going to say yes soon.
I’m very happy about where she and I are, but I’m concerned about what’s going on. Something must have gone sideways. My father would never pull me away from Westlyn at this pivotal moment for no good reason.
I get into the car and my father gives Niall the signal to drive. “I’m sorry to interrupt your time with Westlyn, but we have a problem.”
“I assume it’s the kind of problem that only I can solve?”
“Aye. We’ve had a wrench thrown into our plan. His name is William Walker, and he’s currently gathering supporters to start a revolt. He’s trying to convince brothers to overthrow us before we can carry out the marriage treaty exchange.”
This I take fucking personally. It directly affects my mate and me. This isn’t a forgivable offense to commit against your leaders.
The brothers of The Order don’t know us. They don’t understand our ways… but they’re going to. And it’s going to be a lesson well learned. Not one of them will question why we are called the sleeping giants when I’m finished ridding us of this wrench.
I reach for the hard case containing my M24 and pop the latches. I take out the rifle and begin the drill of preparing my weapon for my next assassination. “Where are we going?”
“Walker and four others are meeting in one of our warehouses right now.”
“Good. They’ll be wide open with limited options for cover. Am I killing all of them?” I place five rounds in the magazine. One bullet for each man committing treason against us. No extras needed. I never miss.
“Leave one alive. A witness who can tell everyone what happens when you commit treason against a Hendry.”
“Yes, sir.” This rifle and I have been a pair for thirteen years. We’ve taken down many fierce brothers and many cowards together. “Does it matter which one survives?”
“No. Just as long as it’s not Walker. He dies first.”
I finish the drill and place my M24 on my lap.
“Have you had Westlyn yet?”
“No, but I think we’re moving in that direction. I was in the middle of making progress when your man came to get me.”
“I didn’t want to interrupt what little time you have with her, but I had no choice. We have to act now.”
“I understand, and I agree.”
“You can’t let Westlyn leave the compound without bedding her.”
“I know, and I’m working to gain her consent. I don’t want to do it by force.” I hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t know Westlyn well, but I’m certain that she’d hate me forever if I claimed her by force.
“Consensual is best, but I can’t stress to you how important it is that you bind your union as quickly as possible.”
“I’m aware.”
“Care for a bit of advice from your old man?”
“Aye.”
“You’re twenty-eight years old and in a position of power. I’m certain you’ve had plenty of women by now and need no advice on the act itself, but this time will be different from any other time you’ve been with a woman. None of the ones before now have been your virginal wife. You’re claiming a woman for the first time, but you’re also trying to get her pregnant. This won’t be like any experience you’ve ever had.”
“I’ve never had a virgin. Never been inside a woman bare. Or came inside one either.” I knew from an early age never to have unprotected sex even if I thought I felt some kind of affection for my lover. Not that I’ve ever had anything more than a hard-on for any woman.
“There’s nothing else in the world like it.”
“I’m hopeful that it will happen tonight.” She was giving me all the right signals before we were interrupted.
“She’s going to be nervous. You should share a few glasses of whisky together to calm her nerves. Once she loosens up, begin slowly and pleasure her until she orgasms. This will make her body less tense when you take her. Be gentle and use this first time to focus on pleasuring her instead of yourself. If you make it good for her, she’ll be eager to do it again.”
I know how to make a woman come, but I’ve never been overly concerned with making it happen. I’ve been more interested in receiving pleasure than giving it. But sex with Westlyn will be focused on what her body needs for satisfaction. In a way, this will be a first for me too.
“Find out where she is in her cycle. If it’s been around two weeks since the start of her last period, the timing could be right for you to conceive. Go as deep as she’ll let you and, for good measure, keep her in bed for a while afterward.”
My father has five children. I’m inclined to think that he knows what works best.
“Are you ready to be a grandfather, old man?” My father isn’t old, but I like calling him that.
“I am. It’ll be nice to have bairns around the house again. And God knows it’ll make your mum happy. Are you prepared to be a husband and father?”
“I am.” I don’t know Westlyn, but time will fix that. And I don’t love her, but I think time could fix that as well if she’s open to it. I’m keen to find out what our future holds.
The car comes to a stop in front of the warehouse. “I’m giving you a three-minute head start to enter through the back door before I go in through the front.”
“Why go in at all? I can take care of it by myself.”
“Being present for these hits sends a message. Sitting in the car ensuring that my suit isn’t splattered with blood achieves nothing.”
My father makes an excellent point. “Do you want to say anything before I start taking them out?”
“No. All they need to do is see my face. When only one remains, that’s when I’ll talk.”
“Got it.”
I enter the back of the warehouse and hear voices toward the front of the building.
“These motherfuckers don’t have the right to come in here and take over. They’ve never been part of The Order. Who the fuck are they to think they know what is best for our brotherhood? The Fellowship killed our leader. We can’t let that go. They must be made to bleed.”
My father wasn’t wrong. This is the makings of a revolt, and it must be stopped before it starts.
I go down on one knee and sit back on my lower leg and foot, using my opposite knee and thigh as a prop to steady my arm and sniper. I use my scope to zero in on the speaker since I’m certain he must be William Walker.
I’m only about a hundred meters away, much closer than usual. This short distance isn’t going to leave a pretty corpse. Things are going to be messy. My father will probably have more than blood splattered on his suit.
“They have one of Abram Breckenridge’s daughters at the compound right now. The oldest son plans to marry the Fellowship whore and breed little bastards to lead our children and grandchildren. We can’t let this happen.” He briefly pauses. “The first thing we have to do is kill the Breckenridge girl.”
Anger. Fury. Rage. They all rise from the pit of my stomach when I hear this man threaten my mate. And I’m suddenly very pleased to be the one taking down this motherfucker.
My father nears and the man stops talking when he sees him. My cue.
I pull the trigger and the bullet enters the center of his forehead. He falls to the ground, and the other four men look around the warehouse, searching for the source of the shot. The first one gets up to run, and I put a bullet through the back of his head. Two more run, and they meet the same fate.
The final man remains in his seat looking at my father. I can see that they’re exchanging words, but I can’t hear what they are from this distance. Doesn’t matter as long as h
e gets the message and tells the other Order members. No one will overthrow my family or me. It is our birthright to lead this brotherhood, and we are here to stay as are my children, the ones I will have with Westlyn Breckenridge.
I’m already waiting in the backseat when my father returns to the car. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a handkerchief, wiping the blood and other gore from his face. “It isn’t possible for that message to be misinterpreted. Hopefully that will put an end to any more of this nonsense.”
“I heard them say that they were going to kill Westlyn.” I’m surprised by the feelings I had when I heard their threats against her. Of course, it angered me because they were talking about bringing harm to something that belongs to me, but it was more than that. I feared for her safety.
“Aye, I heard as well. But they’re dead now. No worries. They can’t harm her.”
“One of them still lives.” He could plant ideas in others’ heads about killing Westlyn.
“The man’s a coward. He didn’t run because he was frozen with fear. Bastard pissed himself. He isn’t going to be part of any rebellion again.”
“Is it abnormal to already worry for Westlyn’s safety?”
“You’ve accepted her as your future. I don’t think it’s abnormal at all. And as you come to know her, your drive to protect her is only going to grow.”
I was so angry when my father told me that I had to marry a Fellowship woman. I didn’t think it could ever feel like anything more than hatred and bitterness and resentment. My strong need to protect her is unexpected.
The uneasy feeling in my stomach is alleviated when I enter my bedroom and find Westlyn napping on the couch. Safe and sound. She’s lying on her side, knees bent with one arm under her head, her brown and golden hair spilling over the edge of the couch.
I go to her and crouch low so that our faces are almost level. Her skin is creamy and unblemished except for a small white scar on her chin. It’s the first time I’ve noticed it. Wonder what happened.
I can’t resist twirling a lock of her hair around my finger. So soft and silky. Exactly the kind of hair that should belong to a princess. My Mafia princess.
Her eyes open, and she blinks rapidly several times before smiling. Smiling as though she’s pleased to see me. Not pulling away out of fear or contempt. “You were gone a long time.”
“I’m sorry about that.” The disposal of those bodies took much longer than anticipated.
“Where did you go?”
“To tend to Order business.”
“Did that business involve meeting with The Fellowship council?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
I hear disappointment in her voice. I stand and remove my jacket and gun harness, placing both on the cocktail table. “Scoot back.” I lie on the couch beside Westlyn, my front touching hers, with my arm draped over her body. I press my forehead to hers and close my eyes. “Let’s just lie like this for a while and forget The Order, The Fellowship, and all the filthy things we’re forced to do even when we don’t want to.”
“Kieran?” Her voice is barely more than a whisper.
“Mmm… hmm?”
“Did something bad happen while you were gone?”
Westlyn has no idea that I’ve committed the worst of the worst. She doesn’t know that it reduces me to a broken mess. No one does, because I always retreat afterward. It’s what I do so that my weakness isn’t revealed. “Yes, doll. Something very bad happened, and I need to shut everything off for a little while.”
“Okay.”
That’s all she says, and she doesn’t know how grateful I am that she doesn’t press for more information. I’m not ready to have that talk.
I’ve taken four more lives today. I used to believe that killing would become easier. It hasn’t. These men, despite the numerous reasons they gave me for taking their lives… they had families. Parents, wives, children, grandchildren.
I don’t enjoy being an assassin, but it’s who I am. Killing is my contribution to my brotherhood; I protect my brothers. And I protect what is mine.
I pull Westlyn against me and hold her tightly. Her touch is consoling, comforting, even healing. I didn’t know that this solace was what I’ve been missing by not having a mate. I didn’t know that it was what I needed in my life. Somebody to lean upon. Somebody to support me when times are hard. Somebody to be here for me.
Maybe somebody to love.
Kieran Hendry isn’t unbreakable. He’s hurting. I feel his pain wrapped around me as tangibly as his arms, and only God knows why, but I want to comfort this man. I want to take away his torment.
I freely give him what he asks for. We lie facing one another on the couch, motionless with eyes closed, and silently let the world pass us by. Although he does frighten me, I don’t do it because I’m afraid not to. I do it because it’s what I want to give him.
He showed me his vulnerable side. And I feel certain that it’s a part of himself that he’s never shown to another woman. Brothers don’t do that.
He touches my cheek, and I open my eyes. “I killed four men today.”
Killing is part of our world. I know that brothers do it and often, but none of them have ever spoken to me about it. I’m not sure how I feel about hearing these things.
“They were forming a rebellion against us—my family and I.” He pauses a moment. “I heard the leader tell the group that they needed to kill you.”
Kill me? What the actual fuck?
I might wonder what I’d ever done to deserve a sentence like that, but I already know the answer: I’m a Breckenridge. Guilty by birth if nothing else.
“I was already going to kill them, but something snapped in me when I heard that fucker threaten your life.” Kieran cradles the side of my face and caresses my cheek with his thumb. “I’ll never hesitate to kill for you.”
I know it’s wrong. I shouldn’t like hearing him say that he’s willing to go to that extreme for me, but I do like it. I like it a lot.
His eyes are locked on mine when I lick my lips and lean forward to press them to his. Just the surface of lips on lips until we simultaneously open and our tongues find one another. I press my palms to his chest and circle his pecs through his shirt, feeling the firm muscle beneath my hands. So hard. So strong. So masculine.
I can’t believe how nervous I feel. The butterflies in my stomach are alive and fluttering out of control. Electrifying tingles are bouncing back and forth between my nipples and knees.
Our kiss is slow, seductive, and sultry until Kieran grabs the back of my head and pulls me closer, deepening our kiss. My body has a mind of its own, squirming against his. He rises to a sitting position and pulls me with him, lifting me to sit atop him, my legs straddling his body. I’ve never been wrapped around a man this way.
His hands move to my bum and his fingertips dig into my hips through my pants. He pulls my body against his and rocks. Hard. Dry humping me. I hold on tightly and move in counterpoint. It’s nothing but instinct. And there isn’t a single cell in my body that’s not on fire for him. “This is wrong,” I whisper.
“Doing it isn’t wrong when it’s with your intended.” Kieran gets up from the sofa and holds me around my waist, carrying me from the sitting area to his bed. “I am your intended.” He lowers my body to the bed and crawls over me, nestling between my thighs. “Let me claim you, Westlyn. I swear that I will make it so fucking good for you.”
This man has flipped a switch inside me. Ice-cold to red-hot. Polar opposites. The war between my body and mind is a crazy and unbelievable clash, and I don’t know which one is stronger.
Kieran Hendry is a stranger. How is it possible for me to want to give him my body? Hand over a piece of myself to him forever?
“I want to, but…”
He places a finger to my lips. “No buts.”
“I can’t do this until I’ve spoken to my family.”
Kieran tilts his head and sighs. “That’s not going t
o happen, doll.”
“You are a leader. You can make it happen if you want.”
“I’m not the leader. My father is, and he’s made his decision. There will be a marriage treaty between The Order and The Fellowship.”
“I’m not saying no. There can still be a treaty, but I want to speak with Thane and Sin before there’s no going back.”
“There’s already no going back. You’re mine, and I’m not asking for Thane and Sin’s permission to take you.”
“Forcing their hand this way doesn’t seem like a very good way to begin a treaty.”
“What do you think Thane and Sin would say if we asked them to hand you over to be my bride?”
The point Kieran is making is a legitimate one. Thane and Sin would never freely give me to them.
“You’re not answering because you know I’m right.”
“Why propose then? Why make a production of getting down on your knee and giving me your grandmother’s ring if I don’t have a choice?” I look at the diamond on my finger and wonder if he made up the whole thing about his grandmother. “Did this even belong to her?”
“Yes, it did. And I proposed in a traditional manner because I want this marriage to be real. I want you to marry me because you said yes. Not because I claimed you by force and you had no choice.”
“I met you last night, not even under half-decent circumstances, and you expect me to sleep with you less than twenty-four hours later so that we’ll be bound to one another until death do we part. That’s not how normal marriages begin.”
“We aren’t normal people. They don’t write romance novels about our way of life because there’s nothing romantic about it. But I’m trying my damnedest because I don’t want you to hate me. I want a chance at making this relationship be as normal and real as possible.”
I actually believe him. “I appreciate that you’re trying, but I need you to be sensitive to the fact that I’ve been stolen from my home and my people. I’m in a strange place with a man who told me he was going to beat and rape me but now expects me to happily give him my virginity. I need time.”