Page 41 of Risk
“Because we’re not ready for that level of wrath to come at us, Risk. We’d need an army at our beck and call before using Mariksa as a bargaining chip.”
“Then what are we going to do because I won’t let them hurt McKenna?” I sneer.
Kodiak looks skyward, and sighs. “Let Albright set up a meeting with them and we’ll take it from there. They may be more amenable than we’re thinking they’ll be.”
“In the meantime, I’ll start calling around and see who’s willing to back us if a powerplay starts,” Conan offers. “We won’t let anything happen to McKenna, Risk. She’s not only your old lady, she’s our family.”
“I need to get out of here,” I say, glancing over at Kodiak. He must see the turmoil on my face and the fact that I’d rather put a bullet between the eyes of the Trifecta, the Sandavol sister, and the senator than wait for them to try and reason with men who are out for one thing and one thing only—money and the power that comes with it.
“Go for a ride and clear your head,” Kodiak says, “but take Conan and Hemi with you. Now that we know who we’re up against, no man rides alone until I say otherwise.”
Without another word, I jog out of the barn and walk the two blocks back to where we stashed our bikes. I’m livid, annoyed, and feel helpless. When I take to the streets, a plan begins to formulate in my head. If my club can’t protect her and negotiate for her freedom, my family and I, we’re going into hiding after I fake our deaths. I’ll wipe us from the map and make sure there’s no digital footprint of our existence.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT
McKenna
When I hearthe roar of engines, I run down the hallway and stand in the mouth of the common room. When they all stroll in minus three, I send Kodiak a confused look.
“He needed some time to clear his head,” Kodiak tells me as he places his hand on my shoulder. “He’s going to need you when he gets back.”
“What happened, Kodiak?” I ask, fear streaming through me.
“All I can tell you is things didn’t go our way but I’ll be rectifying that as soon as I can. I promise you, McKenna, we’re all on your side and you will be free by the time this is all said and done.”
“But at what price?” I query. “I don’t want anybody getting hurt because of me.”
“You let us worry about that, okay?” he pleads. “I have a plan but in order for it to work, I need you to help me keep Risk in line.”
I let loose a very unlady-like snort because no one has the capability to keep Risk in line, he walks his own path and nobody can deviate him from it—especially when he has his mind set on something. “I’ll do my best but you know how he is.”
“You’ll have the toughest job out of all of us. I know what I’m asking is a lot, but if we let him off his leash, we may lose him,” Kodiak warns.
A sob gets caught in my throat because if Risk is that far gone, things are much worse than I ever believed them to be. “Okay, Kodiak.”
“Atta girl,” he says, squeezing my shoulder. “I’ll be at my house with Luna and Jett if you need me.”
I nod my head as he walks away. The only way I can think of to redirect Risk is to sex him up. An idea sparks in my mind so I rush back up to our room to set the scene. “Please let this work,” I beg the galaxy. I can’t lose him, not now. I just got him back and let my fears of moving forward with him go.
It doesn’t take long to get the candles positioned around the room and lit. I found them underneath the bathroom sink where he stores them in case there’s a power outage. For some strange reason I can’t comprehend, I packed a couple of my sultry nighties and all of my silk scarves and draped a couple of them over the two lamps in the room for a more romantic setting. There’s a subdued glow in the room, perfect for seduction.
I wanted this to happen more naturally instead of planned or plotted but I’m desperate to keep my man from losing himselfin his anger. I’m in my favorite negligée, one I never used on set because there was something special about this particular one and I didn’t want it tainted by viewers of my channel.
The stage is set, I’m bathed, lotioned, powered, and perfumed. The only thing missing is my husband. While I wait for his return, I think about our past, before I was caught back in Marshall’s snare once again. The sexual chemistry we had was off the charts. My biggest concern is that I've had a baby since we were together last, and my body, while still trim because of what I’ve been forced to do, has definitely changed. Artful lighting and sexy lingerie, as well as body makeup, covers up the stretchmarks I got from carrying Phoenix.
They’re marks I bear proudly, knowing thatmybody carried our child, but I remember how Risk was before when he’d marvel about how silky smooth and soft my skin was. It’s not like that any longer, unfortunately, especially since I have a scar that runs from hip to hip thanks to the cesarean I had to have when both Phoenix and I went into distress. Up until that point, I was handling the labor just fine thanks to whatever drug they put in the epidural I received, but when my blood pressure rose and Phoenix’s heartrate dropped, the doctor didn’t waste any time cutting me open and getting my son out of me.
I’m so lost in thought, I don’t hear the door open then softly close until I hear, “What’s all this, Vixen?”
Turning my gaze toward him, I see the heated look in his eyes and despite the things I’ve been forced to do, I find myself blushing. “Hey,” I whisper as he moves closer to the bed where I’m seductively sprawled out.
“Fuck, you’re a sight for sore eyes, Kenna,” he murmurs. “If I’d known you’d be waiting for me like this, I would’ve come back sooner.”
“Kodiak said you needed to ride to clear your head. Is it clear now?” I ask.
“Well, one is, but the other has some ideas now,” he teases, causing me to glance down at his crotch. Seeing the bulge behind his jeans has me smirking because my man’s packing some serious heat.
