Page 22 of Embracing the Consequences

“What do you need?” Derrick shifted to Kara’s left.

She looked away from the fire to see her big teddy bear looking sinister in the firelight. His thick beard and mane of hair were draped around his broad, heavily muscled shoulders, and his green eyes were almost glowing in the firelight.

Devil looked downright evil.

Her heart stuttered in her chest as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his spread knees. “What do you need?” he asked again. It wasn’t Derrick asking… Devil had come out to play.

Kara slowed her breathing, her lips parting as she stared at him. Her core clenched as her body heated with arousal. It was rare that she saw the Devil within Derrick.

Across the fire, Kevin was staring at her. His deep brown eyes were fixated on hers. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her while she stared at his brother with the same heat.

“I need Buckley to lose control so there’s no doubt that he’s no longer able to lead the club.” Marcos growled, his fist clenching on the arm of the Adirondack chair. His knuckles cracked.

Kara looked away from Devil and turned toward her brother.

Marcos was always the calm before the storm, a stoic mask of indifference, but now he was a hairbreadth away from snapping. His clenching fists were the only visible signs that her brother was about to lose his cool. Had it been lighter outside, she’d probably be able to see the telltale ticking of his jaw, the vein that popped as he ground his molars with barely contained rage, a rage that he tried so hard to conceal around her.

She frowned slightly the longer she stared at her older brother. Ten years and a lifetime of memories, both together and apart, separated them. For all she was worried that shedidn’tknow her brother, because he lied or omitted the truth when she was a child…at the end of day, she knew her brother’s heart.

He wouldn’t plan the murder of a man in front of her. He wouldn’t unleash his absolute worst self in front of her. Not if he could help it.

Still feeling Kevin’s burning gaze across the fire, she turned away from her brother and took in the dark-haired beauty in front of her. The firelight cast shadows and lit the sharp anglesof Kevin’s jaw and cheekbones. His eyes were onyx pools in the night, flames occasionally dancing in their reflections.

Kara’s heart pounded in her chest as she met his smoldering gaze head-on. His lips were quirked ever so slightly in a smirk. Butterflies twisted in her belly as he continued to stare at her unblinkingly.

Heat colored her face as she stared at the man the club called Rockstar. The charming and cocky man before her was not her Kevin. He was Rockstar, the club’s vice president. Charismatic and sinfully sexy.

His short black hair was styled into a short faux-hawk and glinted in the firelight as he tilted his head ever so slightly at Kara. His smirk deepened, as if he could read every damn dirty thought she had about him.

Unable to sit still any longer, the pulsing need between her legs growing in her awareness, Kara uncurled her legs and slowly stood up. Her legs tingled, half asleep, and she stumbled slightly as she stood.

Johnny’s hand flew out and grabbed her elbow, steadying her and keeping her from falling into the fire. His blues eyes looked up at her with concern.

She smiled lazily. “I’m going to bed,” she said softly.

He nodded and brushed his thumb over her arm.

Kara looked to his right as her brother slowly got to his feet. “Good night, Marquitos.” She spoke softly and moved toward him.

He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her. She felt how tense he was beneath her hands as she hugged him tightly. “I love you, big brother,” she murmured.

“Back at you, lilManita,” he muttered.

She was immediately cold as she pulled away from her brother’s safety and warmth. She needed to leave, though.Marcos would never get what he truly needed if he was worried about her.

She ignored her men and headed for the house, one hand clutching the fuzzy blanket wrapped around her shoulders, the other holding her empty hot chocolate mug. She walked through the sliding door off the kitchen and set her mug down on the counter.

She turned around to shut the sliding door and let out a quiet oomph as she slammed into an impenetrable wall of muscle. Her nose recognized the leather and mint scent of Kevin before her brain realized that he’d followed her into the house.

The door slid closed before large hands landed on her hips and encircled her waist. Her breath caught in her throat as he lifted her from the floor and set her on the granite counter. She held onto his shoulders, grasping at anything to keep her grounded.

Kevin pushed open her knees and stepped into her body. He pulled her to the edge of the counter so she was flush against him and claimed her mouth before she could speak. His kiss was dominating and sent butterflies fluttering in her belly as she sleepily tried to keep up.

She fucking loved it when he took control. “Kevin.” She gasped and pulled away.

He kissed down her jaw and neck.

Kara reached for his belt and fumbled trying to open it. He laughed against her neck and assisted her, making quick work of dropping his pants. Then he pulled her off the counter, yanked her leggings down, and turned her around. He bent her over the kitchen counter and slammed into her without warning.

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