When his head lowered, his lips covered hers in a kiss that bonded any part of her soul that might have been free. She felt him, felt the hunger and the need fusing together in a heat that was always there, always ready to warm her.
Holding tight to his arm as the fingers of her other hand pressed against his chest, Kenni let that kiss have her. Her lips parted, her tongue meeting with his, tasting the passion and the power of his hunger and becoming intoxicated with it.
He was like a drug.
Irresistible, addicting.
There was nothing as filled with pleasure, heat, and solace as his kiss and his touch, his possession and his passion. She’d dreamed of it, fantasized about him, yet she’d never come close to the pleasure she’d found in his arms and in his bed.
She had fought for eight years to return to him, she finally admitted to herself. She’d fought to survive, to live, because in the back of her mind she knew that dying meant never seeing him again. Never having a chance to touch him, or be touched by him.
When his head lifted he still held her close, his arms wrapped securely around her.
“I have you, Kenni,” he promised, his voice soft, filling her with the knowledge that she wasn’t alone anymore. “I’ll always have you, right here. Whether you stay or leave, no matter where you go or what you do, baby, I have you.”
He had her.
Did he know, though, he’d always held her heart? Ragged, often broken and filled with all the tears she’d never been able to shed, but still, he’d always held it.
Whether she held his or not.
CHAPTER 19
They really didn’t need a plan. They had all the evidence they would need, Cord informed them when they stepped into the kitchen. But to enact Kin justice on the wife of a Clan leader, that leader had to be in agreement.
It wasn’t just Luce they had to face, but also Kenni’s father. And no one knew what he may or may not feel for the young wife he’d taken mere months after his first wife’s funeral. Though her brothers were all in agreement that it wasn’t possible their father had been messing with his wife’s sister before her death.
Cord, Deacon, and Sawyer would return to the house and make certain Luce was there. Once they had the house secure and any chance she had of escaping eliminated, then Jazz and Zack would bring Kenni in.
Kenni could feel the nervous tension filling her as she sat in the truck with Jazz a mile from the house. She could see the top of the roof peeking from above the trees as childhood memories rushed through her mind.
Many of those memories included Jazz. He’d been friends with her brothers for as long as she could remember. He, Slade¸ and Zack had been three of her father’s favorites, and he often joked that if he could have handled more boys, then he would have adopted them.
There were other memories, though. The time she’d fell from the swing and skinned her knees. Cord had paled so alarmingly even Kenni, only five at the time, had stared at his face in wonder. Then he’d ordered her to never get on that swing again and swore he was going to cut it down.
She’d run to Poppy and he’d made it all right. He’d kissed her skinned knee, bandaged it, and even though he’d been in the middle of a meeting, he’d given her his time and love.
There had been picnics in the backyard, family reunions that often filled the grassy acre of land next to the house.
There hadn’t been a family reunion since her mother’s death.
As time passed, the tension increased inside her, twisting its way through her stomach and tightening sickeningly every time she let herself wonder what his reaction would be.
Would he welcome her? Would he denounce her?
The man she had known as her father would never denounce her, she thought, but ten years was a long time when a heart felt betrayed. If he felt betrayed by her silence all those years, then he could turn her away.
“We’re in place.” Cord spoke through the small transmitters he’d passed out before they’d headed to the Maddox mansion.
The earbuds tucked securely into the ear canal, almost invisible but strong enough to both send and receive every word. Though not a lot had been said once her brothers entered the house.
Putting the truck into gear, Jazz drove along the street then turned into the drive as Kenni listened to her brothers pull everyone into place. Poppy came from his office, Luce was drawn from her rooms, and Luce’s daughter, Grace, sent to a neighbor supposedly to babysit.
Cord had wanted her out of the way while her mother was dealt with. Once Luce was contained then Grace would be brought home and everything would be explained.
Explanations wouldn’t help, though, Kenni thought as Jazz put the truck in park and turned off the ignition. Nothing would ease the painful realizations Grace would have to endure.
“I’ll come around and let you out,” Jazz forestalled her as she moved to open the door. “Stay still.”
He was still trying to protect her.
Loping around the truck, he pulled the door open and extended his hand to her again. Taking it, Kenni held on desperately as she stepped from the truck and he led her up the short walk to the porch where Deacon and Sawyer waited.
“Poppy?” she whispered, almost breathless at the thought of seeing him again.
“He’s in the front room,” Deacon nodded, his gaze heavy as they entered the foyer.
Breathing in slow and deep, her fingers holding tight to Jazz’s hand, she moved toward the living room.
“Cord, what’s going on?” Luce demanded, her strident voice overly loud as Kenni neared the open double doors. “I have things to do.”
“Like meeting with Colby and Phoenix?” The latent violence in her brother’s voice was like a lash of fury. “That meeting’s been canceled, Luce.”
Silence met his announcement for long moments.
“What are you talking about?” Luce demanded, the icy confidence in her voice almost amusing.
“Colby’s dead. A corkscrew to the heart by the woman you sent him after will do that. Phoenix spilled his guts, though. Know what I’m talking about now?”
“I won’t tolerate this.” There was the fear.
“Sit your ass down and shut your fucking mouth.” Vinny Maddox didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t have to. Years of commanding strong, independent warriors had given him a tone no one dared to disobey. “Cord? Would you like to explain yourself?” His voice softened slightly for his firstborn.
“Let’s see if Luce wants to explain her side of the story first,” Cord suggested.
“You’re crazy. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then I’ll explain it,” Cord promised. “Pop, Mother wasn’t killed as a strike against you. It was Luce’s attempt to make certain the evidence Mom had against her never saw the light of day. Evidence of collaboration with Clan family members to take over the Kin and to steal information and possible gold locations for her own gain. I have the proof, Luce. Want to keep protesting?”
Poppy was silent for long moments.
“She had your mom and sister killed?” Her father’s voice hardened, turned stony, merciless.
“No, Pop, she managed to have Mom killed. But Kenni escaped with Charles Jones, the brother Mom called Gunny. Kenni’s alive.”
“Where?” Hoarse, filled with hope, her father’s question was all she needed.
Kenni stepped into the room.
She didn’t speak. Her gaze went instantly to the still-tall, still-powerful form of her father where he sat in his recliner, his expression quieting so suddenly Kenni felt her heart collapse.
She had no idea what Luce or Cord said from that moment. Clenching Jazz’s hand with both of hers now, she stared at her Poppy with a desperation she couldn’t contain.
His hands clenched on the arms of his chair and slowly, so slowly he rose from where he sat.
Dark blond and brown hair had turned gray in many places. His deep, emerald-green eyes flared with emotion, his expression becoming eagle-fierce.