Page 30 of Black Bay Enforcer (Beasts of Black Bay #3)

Katherine was cuddled up to Kong in bed.

She’d been livid about what her father had done – what he’d planned to do – and had wanted to march straight to Black Bay’s jails or wherever they kept criminals, only for Kong to remind her that her father wasn’t there yet.

Then, he’d set about distracting her in some very pleasurable ways.

She stroked a hand over the heavy muscles on his chest. He was so strong, capable of hurting her so easily, and yet, he’d been so gentle, so careful with her it had almost brought tears to her eyes.

She loved him so much, so intensely the feeling filled her up, fizzing through her blood, until she felt like she could barely contain it.

“I love you, Kong.” With the enormity of what she felt, she’d probably say it a hundred times a day, so she hoped he wouldn’t get tired of hearing it.

Her man let out a happy rumble. “Say it again.”

Katherine grinned. Looked like he hadn’t gotten tired of it yet. “I love you.”

In a shockingly fast move, Kong was over her, his weight braced on his arms on either side of her head. “I love you, too.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

Feeling playful, she puckered her lips and Kong took the hint, kissing her mouth.

It didn’t take long for the kiss to turn heated, her body going liquid with desire as Kong moved from her mouth to kiss his way down one side of her neck, down her sternum, before he settled at her breasts, practically worshipping them with his lips and tongue.

She stroked the broad expanse of his shoulders then ran her fingers over his rock-hard biceps as her breathing turned ragged.

Her body moved under his in a silent demand and Kong raised himself over her, settling himself in the cradle of her hips so the thick ridge of his erection pressed enticingly against her core.

With a moan, she moved against him, wrapping her legs around him to bring him even closer.

Bowing over her, he took her mouth with his, kissing her deeply as he slid into her waiting heat.

Katherine rocked against him, urging him on.

Faster. Harder. The first time had been slow and gentle, but this time, she wanted more.

Her fingers pulled at him, digging into his skin and she broke the kiss to gasp in a breath.

His name became a litany on her tongue as her body rocketed toward release and she held on tighter, gripping him as hard as she could.

“Kong!” Her body tightened around his thick length as she hung on that precipice.

Panting hard, Kong groaned as his eyes met hers. “I love you, Katherine.”

She tumbled over the edge, her body pulsing as the orgasm washed over her and a moment later, with a low guttural cry, Kong joined her.

He lowered his forehead to rest against hers. Both of them were breathing hard, the ragged sound filling the room, and a light glazing of perspiration covered them both.

“This is so much more fun than sparring with Leo or Nova.”

Katherine barked out a surprised laugh.

Collapsing to the mattress beside her, he blew out a breath. “We should shower.”

“Probably.”

“Oh! But first…” Kong leaned over his side of the bed and grabbed something.

He came back with a gift in hand. It was a flat square, maybe only an inch thick and four inches wide. It was wrapped in Hello Kitty wrapping paper. Katherine smiled at the reminder of her pajamas until Kong said, “Happy birthday, love.”

Eyes going wide, she sucked in a sharp breath at the reminder. “My birthday!” She bounded out of bed so fast she nearly fell on her face and had to throw an arm out to catch herself. “Oh, my God! My mom! What time is it?”

Katherine didn’t wait for a reply. “Where’s my phone?” She dropped to the floor and looked under the bed – though why it might be there, she had no idea. Jumping to her feet again, she ran out of the bedroom to search the rest of the apartment.

Kong followed to help her look.

“My mom’s the type who would have called me if I was five minutes late and if I didn’t call her right back she’d start calling hospitals. Shit, Kong! She’s probably freaking out.”

She spotted her phone in the kitchen and she snatched it off the counter.

Someone must have brought it in from the SUV.

Whoever they were, they must have also silenced it.

Or had she done that? Honestly, with everything that had happened, she couldn’t remember.

Katherine groaned when she saw the number of missed calls and messages.

With a helpless look, she asked Kong, “What do I even tell her?” Before he could reply, she shook her head. “I have to tell her some version of the truth. She’s never going to believe that we had car trouble on the same day that both of us just happened to forget our phones.”

“You can tell her we were attacked and the criminal is in custody. Just keep it vague.”

Vague. Yes. Vague was good. “Attacked, though? Is that too strong a word?”

Kong let out a rumble. “Considering the bruise on your cheek it’s not strong enough.”

Katherine nodded. Right. Right. “I think I’ll lead with we’re okay.”

Connecting the call, she didn’t even hear it ring before she heard her mom’s voice, shrill with worry, say, “Katherine! Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?”

“I’m okay, Mom. Kong and I are both okay.”

“What happened?”

Her stomach twisted and her mouth went dry as her mind filled with flashes of Kong being shot, the dead body in the trunk, that psychopath…

Kong’s arms suddenly came around her, his body pressed against her back, his warmth driving away the visions.

“Katherine? Katherine, you’re scaring me.”

She swallowed, trying to dislodge the thick knot that seemed to have taken root in her throat. “We’re both okay,” she repeated, but her voice trembled as her eyes prickled with imminent tears. She didn’t think she could say the words out loud without completely losing it.

“Mom,” her voice cracked as tears slid down her cheek and she looked helplessly at Kong.

“I’m coming to you, Katherine. Tell me where you are.” Sounds in the background seemed to imply her mother was already moving. Harper Knox had gone Mama Bear and it only made Katherine cry harder.

Kong took the phone from her shaking hand and Katherine turned in his arms to hug him.

“Ms. Knox? This is Kong. Katherine’s okay but she’s just a bit emotional which is making it hard for her to talk right now.”

She couldn’t hear her mother’s reply.

“I’m afraid we were attacked on the way to the party –”

Katherine had no problem hearing her mother’s screech.

“We’re both okay,” Kong loudly reminded her, “and the criminal is in custody.”

Her mother’s response was too soft to hear but judging by Kong saying, “I’ll send the directions to your phone,” followed by, “Okay, we’ll see you soon,” Katherine had to assume her mother was coming.

Wiping at her face with her hands, Katherine looked up at Kong. “Thank you. I just…” Her chin began to tremble and she shook her head.

Kong’s arms tightened around her and he kissed her forehead. “I’ve got you, Katherine. Always.”

She took a deep breath through her nose and blew it out slowly, trying to regain her composure. “It’s okay for her to visit?”

“I’ll clear it with the general. Besides, this is your home now. Your mom will want to see where you live.”

Relief filled her. Her mother was an important part of her life and she didn’t want to keep secrets from her anymore.

Kong had set her up in the observation room on the other side of a two-way mirror that would allow her to see and hear her father without him seeing her. Currently, the interrogation room was empty, but she’d been told August Cleary would be brought in momentarily.

General Davies hadn’t been pleased with her insistence she be there.

Both he and Kong had attempted to talk her out of it, warning her that it could get rough.

From what they’d told her, questioning done at Black Bay didn’t fall under normal law.

There were no Miranda rights, no rights at all really.

There would be no expensive, high-powered lawyer interceding on her father’s behalf.

He was on his own, and they planned to force the answers from him. Still, she’d insisted on staying.

Grudgingly, the general had acceded to her wishes, and Kong, before he’d left, had reminded her that if it got to be too much, she could leave the room at any time. Perrin was stationed right outside and would take her back to the residential area.

And maybe it would be too much. But the stakes were too high for her to be squeamish. If her father was trying to start a war, he needed to be stopped, and if she could help, even a tiny bit, she needed to try.

Burying her apprehension, her fingers traced over the necklace Kong had given her. The feeling of the metal that had warmed against her skin gave her strength. Suspended from a delicate chain was a gold infinity symbol and within the loops, their names had been engraved, entwined forever.

She’d already been emotional from the phone call with her mother, and opening that beautiful, thoughtful gift had pushed her over the edge. She’d burst into tears.

Poor Kong. He’d been so upset that he’d made her cry, thinking she hated it. “I can get you something else,” he’d frantically told her.

“I love it!” she wailed, bawling even harder.

He’d ended up holding her until her tears finally subsided.

He’d still been holding her when he’d received the call that the van transporting her father had arrived outside the tunnel to Black Bay.

Her fragile emotional state was probably why he looked so worried when he settled her into the observation room but she was sure she could do this.

The door to the interrogation room opened and Katherine sat up taller, steeling herself for what was to come.

Her father was escorted in, his hands secured behind his back, and a guard on each side of him propelled him forward.

His hair was a mess and his light blue polo shirt and khaki pants were rumpled but he seemed calm, almost happy as he was secured to a chair in the middle of the room.

It weirded Katherine out. How the hell could he be happy when he was accused of trying to incite a war and currently detained for questioning?

She narrowed her eyes. He must think he had some sort of ace up his sleeve.

The escort left, closing the door behind them and a few minutes later, General Davies, Kong, and Lark entered the room. Their expressions were aggressive, they were ready to get some answers and Katherine leaned forward a bit in her seat, ready to assist them in any way she could.

“August Cleary,” General Davies, began, kicking off the questioning. “It looks like you’ve been a busy boy.”

Kong leaned back against the wall of the interrogation room, his arms crossed over his chest as he tried to keep his head in the game.

It wasn’t easy, not when he knew Katherine was on the other side of that glass about to see and hear things that might traumatize her even more.

While he loved how strong she was, his protective instincts were raging at him to go in there, pick her up, and carry her out so he could keep her safe.

She wouldn’t appreciate the gesture. She didn’t want to be sheltered.

She wanted to be part of the team – accepted.

From the moment she’d arrived at Black Bay, that’s what she’d wanted.

And Kong wanted to give her that, but in this instance, it was damn hard.

“Seems you’ve been trying to start a war.”

August Cleary’s smile was condescending. “You have no proof of that.”

“Actually,” the general contradicted. “We do.” He paused for a beat. “Oh, did we forget to tell you we recently took Terrence Godwin into custody?”

Cleary’s smile fell.

Lark began playing the recording they had of Godwin’s interrogation and the weapons manufacturer’s face drained of color.

“He’s lying! I have no idea who that man even is.”

Kong shook his head at the sad attempt to cling to his innocence.

“Allow me to introduce you to Lark,” General Davies continued almost casually. “She has some unique gifts. One of which is she can mesmerize her prey, ask them questions, and they can’t lie.” The general smiled in victory. “Let’s put it to the test.”

Cleary shrank back in his chair, the stink of his fear reaching Kong’s nose. “No! I want my lawyer! I want –”

He couldn’t finish that sentence, Lark had stepped forward to snag his eyes with her hypnotic gaze.

Within minutes, they had the story. Yes, Cleary had been trying to start a war – but not just any war, he wanted to orchestrate a world war.

His great-grandfather had put Cleary Industries on the map during World War I, his grandfather taking it even higher during World War II.

Each successive war had only skyrocketed the company to greater and greater success.

But under August’s leadership, profits had dwindled.

They’d branched out too far, too fast, and made some poor investments.

He needed a new war to restore not only his business but his name.

He refused to be the Cleary that toppled the empire his family had built.

Kong shook his head, disgusted. August Cleary had been willing to sacrifice millions of lives for greed and pride.