Vengeance: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (The Blackthorn Brothers Book 3) Read online

  So I had shed the person I’d once been, and transformed into the person I needed to become in order to find the evidence I needed to exact my revenge.

  Because I was no longer Emily Douglas.

  I was now Emie—though really, Emily died the night my family was taken away from me, even if the only reason I’d been spared was because I’d been away, finishing up my last semester at college.

  Locke waited for me in the waiting room as the doctors examined me and took samples to be sent to the lab, letting the police gather what evidence was to be had, all while I tried my best to “be Emie.” I answered the remainder of their questions, and finally, hours later—at close to four in the morning—they wrapped up their initial investigation.

  Jameson, one of the officers who’d been questioning me, returned with news I wasn’t at all surprised to hear. “At this point, no one’s filed a missing person’s report with a description matching yours, and your prints aren’t in the system. Unfortunately, that means we still don’t have any information on your name or background—unless your memory’s started to return, and you can give us more information?”

  I shook my head, doing my best to look timid, and hide the pain and hurt that haunted my heart. “No…not really. I’m catching flashes of things, but nothing concrete enough to make sense. It’s sort of like when you wake up from a dream, but all the details escape you.”

  Jameson pursed his lips, his eyes sympathetic. “The doctors have the preliminary labs back, and it looks like you were indeed drugged. They said it might take a few more days for the drugs to work their way out of your system, based on the sort of cocktail they put you on. If you do remember anything else, be sure to let us know. But at this point, we don’t have any other questions for you. There’s a shelter we can take you to if you have no place to go, and as soon as you have a way to contact us, we’d appreciate you giving us that number. In the meantime, you’re free to go, and we’ll keep looking for whoever did this to you.”

  “I appreciate it.” And I did. The cops had been nothing but considerate. As Jameson and his partner left, there was a soft knock at my door. “Locke…come on in.”

  “I picked you up a few things. Figured you could do with some clothes. Hope you don’t mind.” Locke wandered in, carrying several large bags, though where he’d gotten them this late at night, I hadn’t a clue.

  And once again, I was forced to reconcile the man in front of me with the one I had in my head and held responsible for my family’s death.

  It was impossible not to think of my fourteen-year-old sister, and the sleepovers we’d had when she came to visit me while I was away at college. We’d do a fun movie night with my roommates, and she’d get to feel like one of the girls as we ate pizza and chatted about school and boys. She was such an amazing kid—straight-A student, and totally into books and writing her own stories. But that was all over now. I’d never get to see her grow up…never get to see her fulfill her potential. Never get to hear her laugh again.

  My eyes watered up, and with my emotions already running high, there was no holding back my tears—which served my purpose just fine, even if Locke likely thought they were from my “ordeal.” I swiped the tears from my cheeks, holding onto the person I’d built Emie to be in my head. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done, and I swear, once I get my life back, I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

  “It’s not a problem, Emie.” Closing the distance between us, he put the bags on the bed, his eyes wandering over my face, the brightest of blues. “Where are you going to go?”

  I shrugged and blinked my tears away, refusing to let any more fall. “There’s a shelter I can go to. It’s just temporary, and…I’m sure I’ll eventually figure out where I belong.”

  Except that there was a part of me that knew I’d never truly belong anywhere, now that I had no one else in my life.

  “Shelters can be brutal. Come and stay with me instead.” He ran a hand over his scruffy jawline, his height towering over me. “You have nowhere else to go, and I can’t just let you walk away when you’re still trying to sort out who you are—especially when whoever did this to you is still out there, and may come looking for you.”

  “You’re far too generous a man, Locke. But the people who took me… I don’t know what they’re capable of, and I can’t risk putting you in danger.” Except that the only monsters I knew of were the ones who’d threatened my father—and for what? He’d been nothing more than an accountant, doing his best to provide for his family.

  “I can take care of myself, Emie—and I insist on helping you. If someone’s still after you, there’s little chance you’ll be able to fight them off given your current circumstances. Go get dressed so we can get out of here. I’ll be waiting outside your door.” And just like that, he turned around and left me with nothing but my thoughts and bags of clothing.

  I tossed on the clothes he got me, and it looked like Locke had thought of everything, right down to the shearling boots, which were far more forgiving when it came to size. And he hadn’t simply bought me a single outfit, but rather several items, in multiple sizes, so I could find something that fit and was comfortable—though I kept his T-shirt on under the hoodie I was now wearing.

  I shouldn’t, since it smelled like him. And yet, I did, not quite sure why.

  Carrying the bags, I stepped out into the hall, not at all surprised to find him leaning against the wall, almost as if he was guarding the door. “I’m ready, though…I’m still not sure how good an idea it is for you to be getting involved. I’d never forgive myself if you got caught up in my mess.”

  “Sweetness, I clean up messes for a living, and I don’t want you worrying.”

  Was that an admission of sorts? The confidence in his voice wasn’t at all surprising, though I’d argue that he and his family messed up people’s lives instead of cleaning up their messes.

  “We can get you set up with more of a wardrobe as soon as the shops open. But in the meantime, let’s get you fed. I can’t imagine you were well taken care of if they kept you in a drug-induced haze.”

  The truth was I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten anything, and my stomach was so empty, it felt like it had collapsed in on itself. But once again I was hit with his kindness, which left me confused and at odds with why I was here in the first place, though at least he made it easier for me to live this lie and get closer to him, especially when I knew damn well that the easiest way to get him to trust me would be to sleep with him. It hadn’t been part of my plan, but now that I was here, I knew it’d be the easiest way to get him to trust me.

  I’d be sleeping with the enemy, though the kindness he’d shown me so far, along with his charming good looks, made it a whole lot easier to stomach what I’d have to do.

  I reached out and touched his arm, wanting to establish some sort of connection between us, with the hope he might lower his guard. “I don’t know where I’d be right now if it weren’t for you. I can’t thank you enough for helping me out like this, Locke.”

  “Don’t give it a second thought.” He gave me an easy smile that made my heart beat just a little faster, and before long, I found myself sitting across from him in the booth of the diner, the table between us piled high with food.

  I ate as if my last meal had been years ago, though I still didn’t come close to matching what Locke was able to put away, despite his lean and muscular frame. And the coffee…it was strong and fragrant, and I nearly gulped down the whole mug before coming up for air. I managed a few more bites, but before long, I was putting down my fork. “That was fantastic, but I’m completely stuffed.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Locke paid our bill and left a generous tip, before turning to me, his intelligent eyes taking me in and darkening with worry. “You must be exhausted. We should get going.”

  “As soon as I get my life back, I swear, I’ll pay you back for everything.” And I would.

  It’d be pa
yback time—especially if he and his brothers turned out to be guilty of pushing my father to the edge with their constant threats.

  “No worries, love.” He put a hand protectively at the small of my back as we walked out of the diner, reminding me of when I’d first spotted Finn and Skylar, his gesture the same as Locke’s.

  It was both sweet and protective, like he was telling the world that he had my back, and anyone who messed with me would have to deal with him first. Yet his kindness was messing with my head. It was completely at odds with the evidence I had gathered from my father’s home and business, though I supposed his attitude must depend on whether you were a job or not.

  “Locke, whoever took me is probably still out there looking. I get that I’d been running for a good while, but there’s still a good chance they’ll eventually come across your home, since it’s the only one out there.”

  “Let them come. I’ll make sure they regret it.”

  I’d fucking kill the bastards if they came after Emie. What the hell did they want with her anyway? Or was it the obvious, and she was just one more woman who’d gotten forced into doing unthinkable things, with no way out? Things so horrible, that her mind was refusing to remember them?

  Except that I’d overheard the cops tell her that the doctors found that she hadn’t been sexually assaulted—no doubt a huge relief for her. But they didn’t know much else, other than she’d been drugged, bound, and had suffered some blows to her body and head.

  As we headed back toward my place, I had to wonder if any part of her memory was coming back to her. Any information that she managed to recall could be a huge help in figuring out who she was and the trouble she might be in. “Emie…do you remember anything at all?”

  She shifted in her seat to face me, chewing on her bottom lip with a pout as she mulled things over. “I’ve been catching flashes of things in my head. Sort of like déjà vu. But…the memories feel slippery. Before I can figure them out, they escape, and I’m left with nothing again.”

  “I’m sure it’ll all come back to you eventually. Maybe once you get some sleep.” I parked outside my home and walked her down the dock, scanning the area to make sure we were alone. Not knowing who’d taken her was leaving me feeling uneasy, since it meant I also didn’t know what they were capable of. Hopefully, she’d remember more once she let her body and mind rest.

  I let Bear out, but he quickly returned, clearly happy to see us—and an even better sight was the smile on Emie’s face when she sank to her knees by my dog’s side, her fingers sinking into his thick, black fur.

  “Come on…the bedrooms are upstairs on the second floor. You must be exhausted.” I led the way, relieved that I’d bought the larger of the houseboats I’d looked at. Though it was still smaller than a traditional home, it was roomy enough, which was a damn good thing since Bear was massive. “This is the guest bedroom, and there’s a bathroom just across the hall, with fresh towels in the linen closet. Not sure what else you might need… Is there anything I can get you? Maybe something for your cuts and bruises?”

  She shook her head no. “I already have more than I need, and the doctors cleaned my cuts. Thank you, Locke…for everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” And then she went up onto her toes and kissed my cheek, before taking a step back toward her room. “Good night.”

  Bear plopped himself down outside her door and settled in for the night with a huff of breath as he laid his head down on his giant paws, making me smile. “Good night, Emie.”

  I headed to bed, knowing the sun would be up in just a few hours, and though I was exhausted, it was hard not to keep my mind from racing through all the unknowns of the evening. Yet there was little I could do without more information.

  With luck, we’d have a little more to go on come morning.

  I’d already been up for a few hours, catching up on some work, when Emie finally came downstairs, her hair wet from her shower. “Coffee’s on if you want some. Eggs and toast okay?”

  She nodded, looking a little lost, as if unsure of what to do with herself. “Honestly, you don’t have to cook for me. A bowl of cereal would be fine—or if you just point me in the right direction, I can cook us up something.”

  “I like cooking, and since I never get much of a chance to make much for anyone but myself, this is fun. Besides, in the time it’d take to tell you where everything is, I could’ve already made you a full breakfast.” Abandoning my laptop, I got up and headed into the kitchen, my body brushing past hers as I grabbed eggs, cheese, vegetables, and ham out of the fridge, and put them on the counter near the stove, before grabbing a pan. “Anything you won’t eat or don’t care for?”

  “I don’t think so. Not that I would know for sure.” She grabbed a mug off the hook, and poured herself some coffee, quickly doctoring it up and climbing onto the breakfast stool with a sigh. “I’m still only catching snippets of my past. And some things seem to just sort of come naturally—like how I take my coffee. It’s all just so…odd. Like there’s no rhyme or reason.”

  “Give it time. Who knows? It could be some form of PTSD rather than amnesia from the drugs, and your brain just needs time to process it all.” After dropping some bread in the toaster, I sautéed the onions and mushrooms, before adding the diced ham and scrambled eggs, letting it all come together and then topping it off with some Swiss once the eggs had cooked through. “Did you at least sleep okay?”

  “Like the dead.” She smiled when I slid the plate of food in front of her. “This smells amazing, Locke.”

  “I was thinking…if there is someone out there trying to find you, then you’re probably right—chances are good that they might track you to my home. We might want to head elsewhere, just until this all blows over.” My family had plenty of properties all around Washington state, and this seemed like the ideal situation to make use of them. “I figure we can pick up a few things that you might need, and then head out of town. We’ll also give the cops my number in case they need to get in touch with you.”

  She shook her head no, her brow furrowed with concern. “I can’t let you abandon your life to take care of me. You’ve already done so much to help me.”

  “It’s really not a problem, Emie. I work for my family, and they’ll understand, especially given the circumstances. Besides, even if there’s something that needs seeing to immediately and can’t wait, most of what I do for the family business can be done remotely. All I need is an Internet connection.” It was nothing but the truth, and there was no way I was letting her deal with this on her own. I didn’t know her, or who was after her, but my family and I had more than enough experience to deal with thugs and criminals.

  “You’re going to be stubborn about this, aren’t you?” She shot me a stern look, spearing a chunk of omelet with her fork.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sweetheart… You already know me so well.”

  Just a few hours later, we were packed, and Bear was lounging on his dog bed in the back of my large SUV, the seats down to give him extra room. I debated long and hard on which family home we should head to, but in the end, I opted for something remote, tucked deep in the woods and high up the mountain—the same home Finn and Skylar had been using a few months back.

  But first, before we went anywhere, Emie needed a new wardrobe, since the items I’d picked up last night had been purchased not for their style or quality, but for the mere fact that the store had been open at one o’clock in the morning. And given that I’d been guessing at her size, chances were good that the clothes I’d bought her were just one step up from useless.

  “Why are we at a mall?” Emie turned in her seat to face me, and it was already clear she was going to fight me on this. It was clear that she was uneasy with being dependent on another person, and I had no doubt she was worried about causing me any sort of inconvenience. Except that she wasn’t. I was happy to do this for her.

  “We’re at the mall because you need clothes. The stuff I got y
ou? That’s not going to cut it, especially if we’re heading into the mountains.” I ignored the glare she shot me, and got out of the car. “I’m not going to have you freezing your ass off just because you’re being stubborn.”

  She hopped out and headed over to my side. “What about Bear? We can’t just leave him here on his own. We should just go. The stuff you got me will do just fine.”

  I had to laugh, loving her attempt to derail this shopping trip. “Emie…though I appreciate your concern, it’s fifty-five degrees out, and Bear’s fur is thick enough for him to comfortably survive being out in a blizzard for hours. He’s part Tibetan Mastiff, or something equally big and hairy, so trust me when I tell you, he’ll be fine. And he’s got water, chew toys, and plenty of room back there. I promise we won’t be long. This is just a quick trip to get you a few supplies.”

  “And you call me stubborn.”

  I’d never been terribly fond of malls, and right now, the crowds of strangers were only ramping up my stress levels as I tried to stick to my plan and keep it going.

  Of course, Locke immediately picked up on my discomfort and was kind enough to steer me toward a department store, where I’d be able to pick up almost everything I’d need, without having to deal with the crowds in the main part of the mall. Because, it would appear, that Locke was determined to make me question everything I’d thought of him and his family for the last few years.

  Once again, I reminded myself of the person I was supposed to be…a person who wasn’t out for revenge, but was rather trying to recover from a kidnapping. A person who’d be smitten by Locke’s charms, despite the hell she’d had to endure.

  Making sure that whatever I picked up didn’t cost a small fortune, I opted for comfortable layers, not bothering to try on the stuff, since I didn’t want to delay us any more than I had to. “Done.”