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I pulled her closer, realizing there were people watching us from all around. “Is that what I am, your soulmate?” I slipped a single finger under her chin, lifting it slowly.
“You’re that and much more. But if you tell anyone I said that I’ll be forced to kill you.”
After issuing a deep growl, I captured her mouth, immediately pressing my tongue past her voluptuous lips. I’d never been much of a kisser before, preferring more sadistic acts hands down. But with her, kissing was a requirement.
And an extreme pleasure.
She undulated against me, purposely doing everything she could to drive me crazy.
“We have another announcement on this beautiful evening, one that came as a complete but pleasant surprise,” Rutherford continued.
I broke the kiss, rubbing my thumb back and forth across her lips. “Are you ready for the big announcement?”
“You convinced my father?”
“Let’s just say I allowed him to see the error of his ways.”
“While this isn’t meant take anything from my son’s incredible celebration, since all our friends and family are here, I wanted everyone to also share in the joy of learning that my beautiful daughter, Suzannah, is also engaged to be married to Kendrick Gregory, heir to the Kentucky Gregory Empire. In addition, our families will be doing some beautiful business together, creating hundreds of job opportunities across the county as we cultivate new wineries and additional opportunities.”
There were a few moments when all the air seemed to be sucked out of the room. This was one of them. The reason wasn’t because Rutherford had heeded my threat or that Suzannah was as surprised as I was.
It was the way Steinbeck reacted.
With zero emotion.
As if he’d expected nothing less from his own father.
CHAPTER23
“Vengeance is a monster of appetite, forever bloodthirsty and never filled.”
—Richelle E. Goodrich
Kendrick
The quote was one of my father’s favorites, something I’d read on a blotter he’d kept over the years. I’d often wondered why the bleak quote had seemed so important to him. As it rolled through my mind several times, I realized I was finally beginning to understand.
He’d been attempting to remind himself on a regular basis that revenge needed to have a true purpose, not one based on bloodlust. Maybe the reason he’d tasked me to be the enforcer of the family was because of my lack of empathy or feelings. I was cold-hearted about killing, never allowing the guilt to bother me in the least.
It was as much a part of my job as anything else I did in a day. That had allowed me to be damn good at what I did and never to think twice about the orders given to me. I was a cold-blooded killer with a powerful instinct and some of the best observation skills in the business. I’d heard every excuse possible, had seen every horrific family situation, and had learned the hard way that people enjoyed lying their asses off and would sell their babies to try to talk their way out of being killed.
I couldn’t give a shit less.
Unfortunately, even the goodness inside of Suzannah couldn’t change what I’d become.
This was no different. I didn’t know the man I’d been asked to exterminate. I simply knew that the target was causing issues for Carlos, a man who’d been very good to me over the years. Perhaps this was a rare time I should feel something given all he’d taught me and the time spent, but I didn’t.
Other than on this night, it was an annoyance more than anything. Bad timing. However, if the fucker had gotten wind that Carlos had a hit taken out on him, then he wouldn’t stay around long enough to discover if that was the truth or not. No one did.
We’d barely gotten back to the hotel prior to the expected call coming in. Fortunately, there hadn’t been any additional delays in Grayson’s plane landing. My second in command had been right. I preferred having him by my side. I’d left Suzannah with my number in case there was an issue, keeping one of my soldiers watching the hotel. There was no reason to believe that she was in any danger, but given I’d played a portion of my hand with her father, until all the facts were in, I refused to risk her safety.
“Just like old times,” Grayson said as he exited his rental vehicle, heading toward me. We’d parked across the darkened street from a quaint house far removed from the winery estates. “I kinda like it here. Some decent wines. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to this part of California.”
“Well, you might get your chance to spend additional times in these parts.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning after I’m married, a portion of the California wineries will belong to my wife and myself.”
