Conquering Love (The Santorno Stories)

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  Nikolai felt Colin’s erratic heartbeat on his chest and kissed his forehead softly. Colin was still buried in his ass and he never wanted to move. They were in their house, on their living room floor and Nikolai was in fucking heaven. His boyfriend had just fucked the shit out of him.

  “Babe? “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  chapter fifteen

  Phoebe stood looking in the mirror at the fifteenth wedding dress she had tried on. None of them looked right and she was getting frustrated. It had to be just perfect. She had found the veil she wanted and right now that was the only thing she was wearing that she actually liked.

  “I’m sorry, guys.” Phoebe looked in the mirror at all the girls. “I’m just not feeling this one.”

  Lily smiled at Phoebe, who was glowing. “Take your time. You only get married once, or at least in this family you only get married once.”

  Katarina giggled. “We don’t mind Phoebs.”

  Phoebe stood sideways and looked at her belly; she was finally starting to show a tiny bit. The dress was cut low in the front but had lace covering her chest and it ran up and around her neck, like a choker. Stefan said he would come by when he was done with the guys and their tuxes and right about now, she wished he was here.

  “So, the guys coming?” Katiana looked at Katarina texting.

  “Yep. Joshua said they are just about done.” Katarina snapped her phone shut. “Your soon-to-be husband is on his way.”

  Stefan looked in the mirror; he fixed the bow tie and looked at himself. He was going to be a father, and he was about to marry the one woman he had been in love with his whole life. Tanner was standing next to him and Nico was behind Tanner checking out his ass. Stefan chuckled and smacked Nico with his jacket. “Whore.”

  “What? Is there something wrong with me admiring my man?” Nico ran a hand over Tanner’s tight ass.

  “When are you going to marry Tanner, huh?” Landon stood behind them looking at his profile.

  “When he asks me.” Tanner arched a brow at Nico. “Don’t make me ask you first.”

  “I’ll ask when I ask. Stop trying to get me to tell you when.” Nico smiled and brushed his lips across Tanner’s. “I said I was going to marry you and I will.”

  “By the way, thanks, Stefan. You’ve got the two Kats and Lily going on and on about their wedding themes.” Damon threw his bow tie at Stefan.

  “Please, you guys will marry them and you know it.” Stefan rolled his eyes. “All of you guys have been in love since you could say their names.”

  “All right, let’s head out. I’m smoking hot.” Joshua winked at all of them.

  “Hey, where are Sergio and Luka, not to mention Max and Cameron?” Damon looked around; they had been right behind them.

  “Snuck out.” Stefan smiled. “Come on, let’s head out.”

  Bree was looking through the wedding dresses again. They had all tried one on to model for Phoebe. Bree found one way in the back and pulled it out. It was beautiful. She put it on and looked in the mirror. This was Phoebe’s dress; she could feel it. It hung off the shoulder and fanned out behind her. It wasn’t gaudy or bedazzled, just white with lace across the top. She moved to the middle of the room and turned around, the back of the dress was wide open and it went down to the middle of her back.

  “This is it, Phoebe, I know it is!” Bree smiled at all of them standing around in wedding dresses.

  “Oh, my God!” Phoebe joined her. “I love it!” She turned Bree around and smiled. “It’s perfect for you.”

  “What? No, this is your dress.”

  “Actually, Lily is wearing mine.” Phoebe winked at Lily. The dress was perfect. It was a soft net gown with a delicately laced bodice. The train was long and Phoebe fell in love instantly.

  “It’s a Vera Wang.” Katiana wiggled her eyebrows. It screamed ‘Phoebe’.

  “Come on, let’s go put you in it.” Lily grabbed her hand, dragging her to the dressing room.

  “Oh, Bree.” Katiana looked at the dress. “You look so beautiful.”

  “God, yes she does.” Sergio’s mouth hung open. Bree was absolutely breathtaking.

  “Hey!” Katarina pushed him out of the room. “You stay out!”

  “What?” Sergio turned around with his back to them. “Why can’t I look at my girlfriend?”

  “What if you guys get married? Then you will have seen the dress.” Katiana rolled her eyes.

  “Nice.” Landon looked Kat up and down. “I like it.”

  “Yeah well now I can’t wear it.” Katiana pouted. “You’ve seen me in it.”

  “I don’t believe in that, Kat.” Landon took her hand. She was beautiful.

  “Ah ha!” Jensen grabbed Max as he was trying to sneak out. “Hey, look guys! It’s our great-uncle Max!”

  “That’s not funny, Jensen.” Max smacked him upside the head.

  “Eww, I made out with my great-uncle.” Evan made a face. “I love you, dude, but I’m very grateful now that we’re not blood relatives!”

  “You liked it, too.” Cameron grabbed Evan’s ass and squeezed.

  “Hey!” Ryan smacked Cameron’s hand away.

  Phoebe came out and looked at Max and Cameron; they had Damon’s strong nose and square jaw.

  “You know, Great-Grandpa Damon loves you very much. So does Grandpa. Please try and understand why Great-Grandpa did what he did. I want everyone to get along at the wedding.”

  Max hugged her tight. “I’ll try okay?”

  By the following weekend Michael and Corbin were convinced their sons were not going to come around. They had tried calling them and gotten nothing. They were heading to the front of the city’s finest hotel with their bags when they both saw Max and Cameron in the lobby. Michael felt a smile coming on but held back waiting for his son to speak.

  “Dad.” Max came over and looked at the man who had raised him. “I’m sorry.”

  Michael grabbed his son and held him. “Don’t be sorry. This is all my fault; I should have been honest.”

  Corbin looked at Cameron, who stood off to the side. Corbin walked to his son, the little boy who had loved football and was so small. Corbin had hoped he would get taller for his own sake, and now he stood looking up at his son at six-foot-three. “I will always love you, Cameron. You can be angry; I just hope someday you can forgive me.”

  Cameron looked at his dad. His father had always loved him, he always did. He could feel it.

  “I love you, Dad.” Cameron hugged him hard.

  They all had lunch together and talked about everything. Max held Cameron’s hand under the table and felt him squeeze his. They had agreed that their dads had raised them and no matter how things came to be, they did love them. Max and Cameron walked them out and Michael palmed his son’s face.

  “I will always love you, Max; you are my son in every way.”

  “I love you, too.” Max hugged him and felt his dad’s strong arms holding him close.

  Cameron smiled at his father, arms around his waist. Corbin Dalton wasn’t short but he was shorter than his son. “Bye, Dad. I love you.”

  “I expect to see you guys for Christmas.” Corbin winked.

  Max stood with Cameron as their dads got to the limo. He smiled when his dad waved goodbye to him and blew him a kiss. He blew one back. His cell phone vibrated and he looked at the caller ID.

  Unknown.

  “Hello?”

  “Tell Damon we expect to hear from him soon, Maximo.”

  “Who is this?” But Max knew and it sent chills down his spine. Cameron’s phone rang seconds later and he had the same look on his face. They both started running.

  “Dad!” Max screamed, running as fast as he could. An explosion went off, knocking him and Cameron back at least fifty feet. All the windows and doors on the hotels bottom floor were blown out and Max hit the asphalt.

  They both hit the ground hard and Cameron rolled over, putting out the fire on his back. Max was rol
ling around trying to get his own out, when Cameron jumped on him putting the flames out. They both looked at the limo now a raging inferno.

  “Oh, God! No! Dad!” Cameron struggled to his feet and walked closer.

  “Don’t!” Max yanked him back. “It’s too late.”

  The parking lot was chaos as people came flying out of the building, Max sat down on the ground and just stared. His dad was gone. Cameron ran a hand through his hair, the fire department had shown up and the paramedics were looking him over as Stefan’s car pulled into the hotel right behind another ambulance. He ran out and kneeled in front of Max.

  “Max.” Stefan pulled his face up.” Are you okay?”

  “He killed my dad.” Max looked up, eyes brimming with tears.

  “Who?” Stefan felt his body shaking. “Who killed him?”

  “Augusto.” Cameron said it matter-of-factly.

  “What?” Stefan’s voice came out as a growl and he looked Cameron over. “How do you know?”

  “He called us, seconds before the limo....” Cameron trailed off and let go. The tears came and his whole body shook.

  “Oh God.” Stefan looked at his brothers and dammit he was going to hug them even if they didn’t want it. He grabbed them both and held them until Max finally let go, the sobbing soaking Stefan’s shirt.

  “I’ll get him. I promise you both that. I will see him begging for mercy before I cut out his tongue and kill him slow.”

  Max looked up. “Fine, but Cam and I will be there.” Then it hit. “Oh shit! Jesse and Toby!”

  Stefan whipped out his cell phone. “Get over to the high school now!”

  Cameron pushed the paramedic out of the way and grabbed Max’s hand. “Let’s go!”

  “I’m coming with you.” Stefan ran behind them and when they got to the car Max turned and looked at him.

  “You are my brother, right?”

  Stefan nodded. “Yeah, I am. Through thick and thin, Max.”

  “Then get in the car, we have some ass kicking to do.”

  Toby and Jesse were comparing notes on their sex. Both agreed the pain was definitely worth it in the end. Jesse was cracking up; he threw the keys to his new car to Toby and they both stopped to admire it.

  “Nice car.” Toby laughed. “Although it looks like a monster.”

  “It’s a truck, and Max felt I needed something to carry my cock in.” Jesse cracked up.

  “Well, let’s take mine today. I have more gas than you. What do you get? One mile to the gallon?”

  “Fuck off, I love my gas guzzler.” Jesse looked at Toby’s Charger. “Although there’s something to be said for sports cars.

  Toby laughed and hit the remote start on his Charger. The explosion was so big it blew the windows out on the first floor of the school. Jesse flew back and landed on the asphalt and Toby went with him. They could hear people screaming and Jesse heard Max from far away.

  “Fuck! Jesse!”

  It was almost a scream and Jesse closed his eyes, feeling the pain in his back. He looked over to see Toby’s chest barely rising and falling and took his hand. Then Max was there and Cameron was kneeling over Toby.

  “Oh, shit, Toby look at me!” Cameron held his face. “Oh God, baby please.”

  Jesse’s eyes were trying to focus and he saw Max’s green eyes looking at him. “Max?”

  “Don’t move, babe, the ambulance is coming.” Max leaned over and kissed Jesse softly. “I’m so sorry, this is my fault.”

  “Bad guys?” Jesse looked at him, his eyes felt heavy and he closed them slowly.

  “Jesse! Oh God, please open your eyes!” Max took his hand. “Don’t leave me, please.”

  Stefan stood in the middle of the parking lot, enraged. He had called ahead and they still hadn’t gotten there in time. He had a feeling Augusto was watching him from somewhere and he mouthed two words in one direction and hoped his message got through. Because he was going to make sure it came to fruition.

  The hospital was packed and Antonio and Marco stood off to the side with Sergio. Jordan was keeping them updated on Toby and Jesse, and Max and Cameron were pacing the waiting room. Damon watched his sons and felt the tears building in his eyes. He wanted to comfort them and couldn’t. They had lost the only fathers they had known.

  “Dad.” Stefan looked took his hand. “You should comfort them.”

  “I am not the father they know.” Damon watched them. God, if he had known it would come to this he would have – he would have what? He would not have changed anything. His boys had been safe up until the age of nineteen. And now?

  “You are still their father, Dad.” Stefan looked in his eyes. “Go to them.”

  Damon approached Max and Cameron and coughed softly. “I am sorry, I do not know what to say. Michael and Corbin were fine men.”

  Max looked at his father. “This was his way of making us hate you wasn’t it? Augusto’s plan was to take out our fathers and blame you.”

  “Yes, that is what he wants and I will understand if that is how you feel. There are no words to express my grief at their loss.”

  Cameron looked at Damon and walked over to him.

  “He failed.”

  “What?” Damon was stunned. Max and Cameron should hate him; he was the reason Augusto had done this.

  “You see, Dad, Cam and I are your sons. We are Santornos through and through and what we want right now is revenge plain and simple. The man will pay for taking out our fathers.”

  Stefan felt Jordan’s hand in his and smiled at him; they were Santornos all right. He joined them and took his father’s hand and then Cameron’s. Max took Cameron’s hand and then Damon’s. As the four of them stood together, Stefan smiled at his brothers.

  “So, we take him out.”

  “And anyone else who had a hand in it.” Max looked at Cameron.

  “Mr. Santorno?”

  All four of them turned their heads to see a doctor looking at them. “Which one?” Cameron looked at him.

  “Um.” The doctor looked at all four men. “Jesse Walker is out of surgery.”

  Max walked over quickly. “Is he all right?”

  “We had to do surgery on his spine. We won’t know for sure if.” He stopped abruptly.

  “If what?” Damon stormed over. “If he can walk?”

  “We need to stay calm. We’ll know more when he wakes up.” The doctor looked at all of them and felt the need to disappear, and fast.

  “Calm?” Max stepped forward and Stefan took his hand.

  “Don’t kill the doctor, baby brother.” Stefan turned Max around. “Jesse will have the best doctors, I assure you.” Stefan hugged him and Max’s arms came around him and hugged back; it was the best feeling in the world.

  “And Tobias Strong?” Damon looked at the doctor; the man looked as though he’d seen a ghost.

  “His doctor is on his way back. He had internal injuries.”

  “Oh, God.” Cameron felt his stomach lurch. “He’s going to be okay though, right?”

  “I— oh, there he is.” Doctor Scared-to-Death took off in a hurry as the other doctor arrived.

  “Who is responsible for Mr. Strong?”

  “I am.” Damon looked at him. “What is his prognosis?”

  “He’s just out of surgery. He had massive internal injuries. I’m surprised he survived. He’s in intensive care now and you can go see him in a few minutes. He’s been sedated.”

  Stefan’s cell phone rang and Damon watched his face. All the color drained from his face and Damon took the phone from him. “This is Damon Santorno.”

  Max watched his face; the same look came over him. “What?”

  Damon hung up and his hands were shaking, the rage was coursing through him and he took a deep breath. “Jesse’s parents, as well as Toby’s.” Damon could barely even get the words out.

  “Oh, God. No.” Max looked from Damon to Stefan, they both looked like they were going to puke. “He killed them?”

  Lorenzo
was on the phone and he looked at Antonio and Marco. They both came over and Lorenzo kept his voice low. “Get the teams ready and get all the boys. We need to hit now and strike hard.”

  Jordan felt his stomach churn. This was by far the worst attack on them yet. He held Stefan in his arms and looked at Damon. “We need to put this guy down, Damon. Now. What’s going to stop him from coming after Stefan or Max and Cameron?”

  “He wants me. I will go to him and it will be done.” Damon looked at Stefan and palmed his face. “I will not endanger my boys further.”

  “Fuck that.” Max looked at him. “The hell you are, I’m not losing another damn parent.”

  “I’m with Max, Dad, not going to happen.” Cameron folded his arms across his chest.

  Damon looked at Max and Cameron and palmed both their faces. “I will make sure Jesse and Toby have the best care and guards. I promise you.”

  Max went to Antonio and looked into his eyes. “Don’t let him do anything stupid. Got it?”

  Antonio smiled. Max was a Santorno all right. “Yes, sir.”

  Max smiled. “Damn straight.”

  As the day went on more and more of the group arrived at the hospital. Jensen sat with Max and tried to keep him calm. They still weren’t letting him in to see Jesse yet, and it had taken four of them to calm him down.

  Cameron had been sitting bedside with Toby for a while now. He watched as his chest rose and fell slowly. His face was black and blue and he had a cut on his right cheek. Cameron ran his fingertips over it and cried. This was his fault. Toby had become a target because of him and now his parents were dead. He had no idea how he was going to break the news to him but the doctors had told him to wait, as any stress could prove harmful to Toby.

  “I love you.” Cameron whispered kissing the palm of Toby’s hand.

  Evan stood in the doorway and held back his own tears. He had heard what had happened and was now on his way with the rest of the group to hunt down Augusto and Phillip. He coughed softly and Cameron looked at him.

  “Hey, I just wanted to say goodbye.”