Page 18 of The Last Call
I’m ready for her to attack. To scream and kick and yell. But all she does is stare. Silent and still. Yet her blank gaze can’t hide the dread pooling in her expression. Her eyes fall shut and she swallows hard, tucking her head down to her chest.
“Are you going to kill me?”
Damn. She’s more fucked in the head than I realized to ask me that. Luckily, I’m going to be the one to fix her broken mind. “You think I assembled a huge team of expensive mercenaries, hunted you down halfway across the planet, and brought you back to where you belong just to kill you?” I hop off the bed and kneel in front of her, holding her small, trembling hand in mine. “No, Sydney. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to love you.”
So fucking crazy that’s it’s my admission of devotion that finally breaks her. Even with her flowing hair concealing most of her gorgeous face, I can see the single droplet slipping from the corner of her eye and rolling down her cheek.
Which bothers me way more than I expected. Usually I’ve not had the opportunity to witness that emotion in a woman. Hell I mean I’m sure I’ve caused shit loads of crying but I’ve never stuck around long enough to watch the tears flow after their cursing started. I probably wouldn’t have cared anyway. But with her, I don’t like it. Not from my woman. Not from my little lion.
I attempt to swipe the streak from her damp skin with my thumb but she jerks her head away. Unwilling to let me touch her. To see her weakness. But that’s not how this game is played angel. I cup her cheeks and hold her exquisite face in my palms. “You’re going to love me too.”
Pure abhorrence taints the beauty that radiates from her. “I can’t love someone I hate.”
“You will.” My cock twitches from her tiny fingers wrapped around my wrists. Failing to break my hold on her. Not now. Not ever. “And until then we’ll just fuck. Because you want to, not because I’ve paid you to.”
Fuck me if it doesn’t take everything I’ve got not to lay back her heaving body and ravish her until she taps out. Her uncertainty flares too and she stiffens, bracing herself for more. For me. For an assault. Which I fucking refuse to do.
Instead, I kiss her cheek with as much tenderness as I can manage and release my hold on her. Forcing myself to hustle back to the main cabin. Knowing full well she’s too upset to follow. Which is for the best. There’s no way in hell I could resist her a third time.
Isnuggle further into his jacket. Lifting the lapels to cover my throat and cheeks. Even though I shouldn’t feel ashamed of the bruises I didn’t cause and don’t deserve, I still do. Old guilt haunting me after all these years.
Taking a deep breath to quiet past ghosts fills my nose with his rich cologne, and I hate how good he smells. How much I like his scent. How much calmer I feel surrounded by the familiarity of him.
He stands right next to me, yet I feel alone. Out of place. In the way. With all his attention on the older woman fussing at him. From the conversation I can’t participate in. At the mercy of him and the guards surrounding us as the two of them argue. Sergei’s security was nothing compared to this mansion and the protection Julius has installed. Seemingly an unending army of men sporting their massive rifles posted along the twelve-foot-tall white stone fence.
I like his grandmother. She’s frail yet fearless. Waving her hands almost as if talking in a second language to emphasize her scolding him. I laugh out loud when she bops him on the back of the head before pointing to me. Uncertain of what she says, but his expression finally changes from indulgent to angry. He barks something back at her, and I can’t lie how sexy his perfect Italian is. Her finger jabs in my direction again, and he finally looks at me too.
“Tell her!”
As if I have any idea what the hell they’re arguing about. “Tell her what?”
“That I didn’t hit you. That it wasn’t me who hurt you.”
My hand involuntarily brushes my face. To the swelling I failed to hide. Understanding now why she’s so furious. Realizing what she accuses her grandson of. I want to lie and tell her yes. Pretend he hit me and strangled me and humiliated me. So maybe she’ll help me escape from him. But despite how much I want to, I can’t. Despite his numerous flaws, of which insanity tops the extremely long list, I refuse to make her think he’s the kind of man who abuses women.
I shake my head. Giving her what I hope is a reassuring and sincere tone. “It wasn’t him. Julius saved me from the man who hurt me.”
She looks from me to him and back again. Relief softens her rosy face. Then brightens with understanding. Then explodes with joy. The rainbow of emotions streaks across her expression, and she lights up with an enormous smile. Engulfing both of us with her bony arms. Another flurry of words I don’t recognize but understand the sentiment just the same. Oh hell. He’s brought me home to meet his family.
Finally.
She gets it. From the look on Sydney’s face, she understands now too. I just want the women in my life to meet and get along and be happy. Is that too much to fucking ask? I don’t understand why this has to be so damn complicated. “It’s been a long night, and I’m starving.”
Nonna’s eyes go wide, and she nods furiously. No one, and I mean fucking no one, goes hungry at her home or in her presence. She kicks it in gear, entwining her thin arm through Sydney’s, and guides her into the house. Moving as fast as an eighty-six-year-old can. Which isn’t fast at all. But my angel is patient. Maintaining the same slow pace. She’s kind too. Smiling and nodding at Gran’s flurry of English peppered with boisterous outbursts in her native tongue.
Syd glances back at me. I guess ensuring I’m following them. Pretty much admitting she likes me too. I wink, which earns me a middle finger behind her back. She doesn’t have to worry. I’ve got plenty of plans for that dainty, dirty finger. All of them, actually.
Nonna has plenty of plans for her too. Albeit very different from mine. While my focus is in the bedroom, her’s is on the kitchen. Reassuring Sydney she’s going to teach her how to cook my favorite foods. Grow the best herbs in her garden. Make her the best little housewife she can be. The horror on Syd’s face reiterates we’ve got a long way to go. Not that I care about her cooking for me. Fuck we can eat out for every meal if we have to. But I do want her to know that she will always be in my house and always be my wife.
The scent of rich coffee greets us inside the house. Reminding me how much I love her homemade breakfast and how fucking much I need caffeine. Syd looks drowsy too. Heavy lids drooping lower as the minutes pass by while they explore the spotless blue and white kitchen. We have to eat before we sleep though. “Give us ten minutes to freshen up, and we’ll be back.”
Nonna frowns but nods. Concern lining her already wrinkled brow as she slowly peruses Sydney’s lack of real clothes. I’ll take care of that issue too. For both of them. Bony fingers cup my angel’s cheeks, and she studies her sweet face before she kisses each side. Delighted to have her here and even more pleased she’ll return soon to interrogate her more. I get a few quick pecks on my cheeks too. Not quite as much enthusiasm but I know she’s grateful that we’re both here and that’s all I need. Especially when she pulls Syd into another embrace. Overcome with joy.
I think Sydney likes the abundant affection too. Returning a strong hug back to my grandmother. Almost as if she’s starving for love. Since nothing came up about her parents in the search of her background, there must be some kind of issue between them. I’ll have to have Mitch dig into that too.
I skim my fingertips across her thigh to get her attention and hell because I like touching her. I almost hate to find her clothes since I enjoy her naked so much, but I’m not an asshole. Well not completely. Nonna gets a smile while I get the glare of death. At least she accompanies me upstairs without any complaints. Keeping her gaze glued to the whitewashed wood and at least two feet between us. Unbeknownst to her I like her a step above me. I can watch her sweet ass sway while my proximity gets my lips closer to the back of her slender neck. Just one easy flick of my jacket collar and I could taste her silky skin.
She pauses when we reach the landing. I like that too. Waiting for my orders like the good girl I know she is deep inside. Although the bad girl flashes again when I reach for her hand to guide her to the bedroom she’ll use temporarily. I can’t lie. I like that side of her even more.
