Page 101 of Mob Bride

“The best thing you two can do is go out of town for a while. I’d highly recommend somewhere in the Caribbean or the Med. It’s a pleasant time of year for sailing.”

“I agree. We ought to get you away from here, Carrie.”

I shift my gaze to Mom and Dad to see what they think. Maybe they want to go out of town with me rather than Shane taking me. We haven’t even had a first date, and I was going to stay—am going to stay—who the hell knows at this point—with Shane indefinitely. Now we’re talking about traveling together. I’m trying not to overanalyze the situation because there’s no good explanation for what’s going on here besides necessity.

It makes me wonder whether we really have a foundation for a relationship or if it just comes from all the danger. We resolve nothing over the next few hours, but Shane and I discuss places we might like to visit. When everyone’s ready to leave, we consider whether to go back to Shane’s place.

His parents and brother said they saw no one watching Sean’s house, and no one followed them. Sean checks with his security team who patrols his property and the guards at his house’s gate. They’ve seen no one drive by they don’t recognize. There are no unfamiliar cars parked on the street. It seems like it’ll be safe to return to Shane’s place.

We’re headed to the garage when I squeeze Shane’s hand. “I have a bad feeling about this. Something just tells me this isn’t a good idea.”

When our gazes lock, he understands how serious I am.

“Do you want to spend the night here instead? Would you feel better not going out?”

“I don’t want to impose upon your brother.”

“It’s not an imposition, Carrie, and you know that. He’s more than equipped for houseguests.” He gestures toward the stairs. “This isn’t the biggest home in our family, but it can accommodate plenty of people. It has six bedrooms. It’s not like Sean and Nikki intend to be a stereotypical Catholic couple with that many children, but there’s a bedroom for each of us. There are nights we spend at each other’s homes to make it easier when we’re coming or going for missions. We can stay here. We can go to somebody else’s house here in the neighborhood. We can go to a hotel. It’s up to you,cailín. What do you want to do?”

I consider his offer and nod.

“Could you take me to a hotel instead? Somewhere, maybe neutral?”

Shane’s expression reveals nothing as he considers my questions, but I know.

“I can read your thoughts, Daddy. You’re not sure what to make of me asking you to take me to a hotel. Shane, I want you—” I keep my voice low. “—there with me, but the more time we’re together right now, the greater likelihood they’ll take us both in. I don’t want them to get you as well if they find me.

“They’re far more likely to find you if I’m not with you.”

We both know what we’ve said is the truth.

“Carrie, I have the resources to take care of myself if I’m arrested, but I don’t want you away from me in case they get you. I want to see with my own eyes how they treat you.”

“All right. I still believe my going to a hotel would protect you, but I feel like this’ll be the night they strike if we go somewhere. Staying here eases some of my fears.”

“We stay here tonight, and we’ll decide what to do next in the morning.”

Shane turns to Sean, and I know he wasn’t listening to our conversation. I can’t explain it, but he understands Shane whenhe turns his attention to his twin. Sean nods, and we say goodbye to everybody else while Sean heads up to his room.

It’s gotten way later than any of us realized. I know I’m exhausted, and so is Shane. He shows me to the room he usually uses when he stays here. I discover Sean’s wife is extremely slender, so even though I’m average-sized, none of Nikki’s clothes would fit me. He pulls out a set of t-shirt and basketball shorts he keeps here, but I don’t put them on after I strip and neither does he.

“We all have a couple sets of interchangeable clothes at each other’s homes. That’s why I have the suits hanging in the guest bedroom. I have three spare rooms, and they each have some clothes in there. I already have a toothbrush here, but I’ll find a new one for you.”

It feels so normal to share the bathroom with Shane, each of us brushing our teeth and then climbing into bed together.

“What do you need,cailín?”

I know he doesn’t mean toiletries or different pjs.

“I wish we’d had a chance to get some toys.”

“Me too. I’m definitely not asking my brother to borrow anything other than these clothes.”

I glance toward the door, then at Shane, too surprised to say anything.

“Little one, we’re hardly the only couple who likes it kinky.”

“You want to have sex here? With your brother down the hall?”

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