For Love

by Jeannette Winters

  Chris leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. “Roger.” He highly doubted he would sleep.

  His mind was on a small farm, and it definitely wasn’t the goats that had him wishing he was there. Trying to put her in a sister category wasn’t working either. Her gorgeous dark eyes could suck him in. And when she had whispered to him on the plane, it sparked an interest he refused to think about.

  I really need to get over this need to protect Melissa. She’s not weak. Not vulnerable. It should be a fun couple of days for them . . . and definitely something very funny to watch. He could picture her running around, trying to catch one of the goats to milk it.

  I really need something better than this assignment to keep my mind off her.

  Chapter Three

  “You’re joking, right?” Ellie asked. “This isn’t where we are staying. It’s . . . it’s a . . .”

  “Goat farm,” Melissa said as she took in her surroundings. “And you said you wanted to get away from it all.”

  “Yes. I was thinking more along the lines of a place with a pool with some fancy fruity drinks,” Jada said as she wrinkled her nose at the pungent odor.

  Melissa wasn’t a country girl either, but she had wanted a new experience. It might not be what she had envisioned, but that’s what the word adventure meant. What fun would it be to lie by the pool, soaking up the rays? They could do that any time. As far as Melissa was concerned, this was a memory in the making, one they wouldn’t have had back in Rhode Island. I just hope the others can see it like I do.

  “I know it’s not the ocean, but look at this view. It’s . . . amazing,” Melissa said, pointing out the rolling hills with lush green grass, white wooden fences, and rock walls. “You can’t tell me you don’t think this is beautiful.”

  Hydria said, “I don’t know about anyone else, but the only thing that would make this place perfect would be no cell service.” Everyone shot Hydria a look of surprise, and she added, “Don’t pretend as though you haven’t all wished for one minute you could escape the endless . . . drama.”

  Melissa knew what Hydria was referring to. The family was being called on more frequently and many times pulled in different directions. But as the family grew, it was beginning to be more important that they made the effort to gather together. Right now it seemed as though they needed an event to do so. Thankfully, a few weeks ago they had all made it a point to support Ellie for the grand opening of her new bakery, Frank’s Sweet Tooth. And now this is our time, just us girls.

  “I have two children. There is nothing here that scares me,” Deanna said, smiling. “Besides, I’m married to Rafe. I believe I’ve told him on several occasions he was as stubborn as a goat. Guess this will be my chance to confirm that.”

  Everyone burst out laughing. “It’s a family trait, I think,” Vanessa added. Then she shot Melissa an apologetic look. “I meant the men, not you.”

  Melissa shrugged. “I’m a Turchetta by blood. I might be a bit stubborn myself.”

  Jada teased, “I know you’re great at holding back information like they are.”

  “Oh, you guys aren’t going to let me forget that, are you?” Melissa asked. They shook their heads. “Well then, I’m going to have to make this the best vacation you’ve ever been on so you’ll be begging me to plan the next one.” She knew already she’d want another one with these women. Why did it take losing someone to realize how important they were to you? She and Phoebe had been so different. Even when they were eighteen, Phoebe wanted to see the world and nothing was going to stop her. Unfortunately her life had been cut short, and after losing Phoebe, Melissa was left with five older brothers. They were great; she couldn’t ask for better, yet she couldn’t confide in them on certain things. The last thing she’d ever do was discuss man issues with them. I’d need a man first to have any, but there’s always hope. Now . . . she had sisters and damn amazing ones at that. My brothers chose very well. With a little prodding from me.

  They all headed down the long dirt road toward the house, which would accommodate them for the next few days. Really, how bad can it be? They’re goats, not cows.

  When they arrived at the house, Sirveo was there to greet them. “Benvenuto.”

  “Do you speak English?” Melissa asked. He nodded. Easier already. “Thank you for having us.”

  “Signore Stratton explained your needs.”

  Needs? Melissa hoped that included a bed and indoor plumbing. “That was very nice of him.”

  “Sì. Il signor Stratton è un brav'uomo.” Melissa had no idea what he said so he repeated in English. “He’s a nice man. I grow old, and he comes several times a year to help me. So much to do. But now he sent you.”

  “Me?” Melissa was looking for a vacation spot for them and had no issue with it being on a goat farm. But she sure as heck wasn’t a farmer.

  “Sì. I will teach you. Now come. I show you to your rooms.”

  Thankfully, Sirveo led them into the house and not the barn. If Chris thought she or any of them would be sleeping in a bed of hay or whatever goats did, he was mistaken. Of course right now she had a feeling Chris was having a good laugh at her expense. She was going to show him she could hold her own here just like he did. Well, it might take all six of us to pull that off.

  The outside of the house was deceiving. Inside was much more modern than she imagined it would be. She’d feared the sink would have a hand pump and the fridge a block of ice. That was unrealistic but still comical to think about.

  “Signore Stratton did not say you were so many. I have two rooms with beds ready. I shall make my room ready for you too.”

  “Your room?” Deanna asked.

  “Sì. Un minuto,” Sirveo said, leaving them standing in the large living area.

  They all looked at each other, and Vanessa said, “We can’t kick him out of his room. He’s . . .”

  “A gracious host. If we do not accept his offer, we’ll offend him,” Hydria said softly so Sirveo couldn’t hear.

  Melissa peeked in the spare room and saw a double bed. It would fit two, but three would be pushing it. She shrugged, and without another option, they nodded in agreement. It wasn’t going to be long, and hopefully to offset his inconvenience, they could be of some help to him.

  When Sirveo returned he said, “Tomorrow I show you the capre, the goats. Tonight we eat, drink, and sing.”

  Melissa was all in favor of one of those things. Singing wasn’t going to be pretty. She sang like her brothers, and that was horrendous. Wine was needed, but if they drank, and Ellie didn’t, everyone would question why. She didn’t want to put Ellie in that situation so Melissa took the focus off Ellie and put it on herself.

  “Signore, please no alcohol, wine, for us.”

  Jada cocked a brow in her direction then jabbed Deanna with an elbow and whispered. She was sure they were questioning why. It was better this way until Ellie and Josh decided to share the joyous news. Hopefully they do that before any of my other brothers think I’m the one pregnant. Thankfully Josh would never let that happen. No matter how much he wanted this kept quiet, he’d never throw her to the wolves.

  Sirveo eyed Melissa then smiled. “I understand. Signore Stratton did not mention this. No work for you. This is . . . le tue vacanze, your vacation. Per tutti, for all. Now go rest. I will cook for us.”

  Although she felt bad because Sirveo seemed to need an extra hand or two, a vacation was what they all needed. She was sure tomorrow she’d feel differently and offer to help, but tonight, she was too tired to argue.

  They all carried their luggage into the rooms. There really wasn’t much to do, so she lay down on Sirveo’s bed. It was surprisingly very comfortable. She could tell the linens had been freshly changed as well, and it smelled as though they had been hung out on a clothesline to dry. Melissa planned on closing her eyes for only a moment, but somehow when she opened them again, it was to the sound of laughter from the other room. Her roommate, Ellie, had left her behind as well.r />
  As soon as she opened the door she could tell what had lured them all into the kitchen. Sirveo kept his promise and made what looked like a feast for them. Melissa looked around the room and saw exactly what she had hoped for this trip. Everyone was relaxed and thoroughly enjoying themselves. This was going to be a fun evening. There was only one thing left to do. Join in.

  * * *

  Chris wanted to reach out to Melissa and see what she thought of the farm. He could call Sirveo but if he was right, the poor old guy had his hands full. Six women invading his quiet space might be more than he could take. Whenever Chris was there, they talked some, but mostly they did any work that required two people. Sirveo probably wasn’t going to be too happy with him next time they saw each other. But the way this assignment was going, that might not be for a while anyway.

  It was already dark, and there was nothing to do at night but sleep. Chris had gotten a few hours during the day and now watched as the lights went on and off throughout Kalen’s home.

  “Kalen is leaving the premises,” Stone’s team announced.

  “Roger,” another one responded.

  “Damn it, David. This sucks. We’re not puppies who need to follow their lead. Can’t Stone send someone else so we can go back to do what we do?”

  David started the SUV and put it in gear. As they pulled out, leaving enough distance from Stone’s team, he said, “We’re here until told otherwise. If you’d rather go home, I can have someone else here tomorrow.”

  “Shit. That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Playing backup to security isn’t going to fix the issue, and you know it. Soon as the king is dead, Kalen’s brother will take his place on the thrown. None of this will matter.”

  “What do you suggest? We take him out of the equation? Because that’s not what we’re about,” David said.

  The convoy turned onto the highway as Chris answered. “We need to get to the king. I know the man’s ill, but hell, if he wants all he’s worked to achieve to continue, he needs to make some drastic changes now.”

  “You’re thinking he’s going to back off Kalen and go after his father?”

  “It would be a win-win for him. So yeah. If I was a piece of shit who would take arms against my brother, then yeah, maybe I’d do the same to my father. Especially if it means I get to rule. Once he has that power, there’s nothing we will be able to do to protect Kalen.”

  “We’re basing this off gut and not facts. That is dangerous. But I agree with you. This is not what needs to be done. I’ll have Rafe set up a call with Stone. This is his detail, we cannot move without his blessing.”

  Chris nodded. “The conversation has to start somewhere. If Stone doesn’t want to hear it, maybe it’s time we step back.”

  “Damn it, Chris. You’ve been hanging with us so long you’re starting to sound like a Turchetta.”

  Chris grunted. “Somehow I feel insulted.”

  David chuckled. “As you should.”

  Chris had been part of David’s team, his so called second-in-command in the field, for the last four years. At first, he thought he’d last a few weeks and then move on. Instead he found Turchetta’s Promise was something he believed in. It provided him the outlet to make a difference in the world. That’s why sitting back, knowing the end result wasn’t going to be advantageous to all parties, didn’t sit well with him. There was so much more at stake than one prince. David was aware of that as well.

  “Remember, what we’re going to suggest to Stone and Prince Kalen is out of our realm of expertise.”

  “Who do you think will step forward if not us?” Chris asked.

  “I’m not saying we shouldn’t, I’m just saying we need to tread lightly. Right now this is an issue in Runashia. We fuck it up and it can become a worldwide issue. We also need to make sure no one links this to us or the United States.”

  “Like I asked before, what the hell are we doing here?” He wasn’t expecting an answer and didn’t get one.

  When they arrived at the destination, once again they sat and waited. The only difference was David was texting Rafe with the update. From what Chris could tell, Rafe was in agreement. They either needed to pull out of Runashia or bring Stone into the loop. But no one could anticipate what Stone was going to decide to do. He would like to think that Prince Kalen wasn’t going to question their judgment after they had rescued him. Yet the guy seemed to be living his life the way he wanted, instead of how they suggested. Chris wasn’t so sure Stone was going to be able to talk any sense into the guy. The only royal Kalen seems to be is a royal pain in the ass.

  Chris knew he shouldn’t be so hard on the guy. He had issues with people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and didn’t do anything constructive with what had been given to them. Until Kalen’s actions matched his words, Chris wasn’t cutting him any slack. No one cut me any.

  The problem with quietly sitting was Chris had too much time to think. That wasn’t good for him. There were things from his past he hadn’t dealt with, and if he wanted to be free from those damn demons, he needed to face them.

  Chris was only eight, far from ready to be on his own, when his mother had died. She’d been the only sense of security he had known. After her death, things spiraled downhill. Life was cruel, and the only person left in his life was his father, who wanted nothing to do with him. There were many times he wished he remembered more about his father. His memories had faded more and more over the years. At first Chris tried to hold on to each memory, but one by one they were replaced with bitterness. Chris wasn’t a father and had no inclination to become one, but he couldn’t understand or accept the fact his father chose to have nothing to do with him.

  He had been a good kid, but that changed when he became a teenager. His adoptive parents had no idea how to deal with him. He was rebellious and filled with anger. They tried putting him in sports and different school groups. Chris hadn’t been interested in any of it. Looking back, he realized he needed a swift kick in the ass for the way he’d acted. He’d mouthed off and taken off more than he’d like to admit. When he was sixteen he left for good and didn’t return.

  When he was almost eighteen, he’d been picked up by the police. The judge gave him two choices: go back home or join the military. Not ready to deal with his bad behavior, Chris had opted to sign on the dotted line. The first few months were pure hell. He learned real quick you couldn’t run from everything, because if you tried, the military police came looking for you. And when they caught your ass, it wasn’t good.

  Joining the Army had been the best thing for him. It was the structure he’d been lacking in his youth and taught him what loyalty and respect were all about. Someday he’d go back to the Strattons and show them he wasn’t the problem child they remember him to be. Now I’m just a stubborn ass.

  Eight years as an Army Ranger was something he’d never forget. It helped mold him into the man he was today. Although they might not want to take credit for some of the shit Chris got into. But when he was shot in the line of duty, the bullet had shattered his hip, and he was fucked. He was twenty-seven years old and had to have a full hip replacement. It wasn’t the end of the world, just the end of his Army career.

  The Army had offered him a desk job, but he said hell no and didn’t reenlist. Good thing the Turchettas didn’t look at him as damaged goods. And from the missions they’d been on together over the years, Chris had proven he was as good as new.

  On most days at least. Sitting in this SUV for hours on end was taking a toll on him. He felt stiff and needed to stretch his legs. He was about to tell David he was going for a walk when Stone’s team announced Kalen was on the move again. Damn, can’t the guy go to sleep like everyone else?

  At least watching Kalen gave him something to focus on besides his past. This was going to be a long night.

  David’s phone rang, and he answered on speaker. That meant it was business and not Jada. Part of Chris had hoped to hear how they . . . how Melissa w
as holding up.

  “What did you learn, Rafe?” David asked.

  “Talked to Stone. Kalen said getting in to talk with the king is going to be nearly impossible. There is one shot that might work. Kalen said they have a formal dinner in a few days. He said he’ll get two people added to the guest list, but they cannot look like security in any way.”

  “Then don’t send Renzo, ’cause he’s going to attract attention,” Chris joked.

  Rafe huffed and obviously wasn’t in a laughing mood. Then again, he recalled Rafe was home alone with two kids right now. A mission you couldn’t pay me to do.

  “Stone is showing Kalen photos of members of his team. Kalen already declined Stone as one of them. Kalen said he was already compromised. They need someone no one had seen yet.”

  “It can’t be that hard to find. How many of them have been in Runashia?” David asked.

  “That’s not for us to figure out. We’ll just wait and hear what’s decided. But until then, I want you both to stay in Runashia. Kalen insists on living his life out in the public, doing as he always has. That might be foolish, but it’s his decision to make.”

  Took the words right out of my mouth.

  “How long are we talking?” Chris asked.

  “Till the job’s done,” Rafe replied.

  “Roger,” David said.

  So much for meeting up with Melissa and hearing what she thought of Sirveo. He wanted to see her again but couldn’t pinpoint why. All he knew was he wanted to see her. Duty intervened. Chris wasn’t a fool, he knew this was probably for the best. He was on this side of the world for a reason. And it wasn’t to spend time with that stunning brunette. It was to babysit some arrogant prince.

  Chapter Four

  Melissa couldn’t believe how late they’d stayed up last night. She’d thought for sure Sirveo would say goodnight early and they’d be left to chat amongst themselves. Instead he took out his Neapolitan mandolin and started plucking away. He sang in Italian, so no one understood the words, but that didn’t bother any of them. By the time they returned to their rooms, they were so tired that sleep came quickly.