by Jada Cox
“I think that perhaps the wretch needs to be taught a lesson,” he says, his eyes flashing dangerously.
I close my eyes and flinch as he raises his meaty fist, swinging it towards my head. When the strike never comes, I peek my right eye open cautiously. I find the two men who arrived in the Escalade standing before me, glaring furiously at the bikers. The raven-haired one bends Johnny’s hand backward, wrenching his arm at a painful angle and pushing him to the ground away from me. I swallow nervously when his furious silvery gaze meets mine. He then looks at Mac, whose hand is still bruising my shoulder. The man growls and pries Mac’s fingers from my shoulder, breaking his index finger and launching him away from me. I swallow, suddenly nervous for a completely different reason as I hear the pounding of flesh on flesh. Looking around, I see the smaller man launching his fists impossibly fast at the various bikers who are brave enough to try to approach me again.
“I suggest you leave before my brother gets angry. You’ve been very naughty little boys today, and if you’re not careful, he might spank you,” the little one says as the bikers scramble towards their bikes. They yank on their helmets and rev their engines. Just as he’s yanking on his helmet, Johnny turns and makes eye contact with me.
“We’ll be back, little Rose. God forgives, but The Outlaws don’t,” he growls at me.
The raven-haired man takes a step towards him. Johnny spits at his feet, yanks on his helmet, and peels out with the rest of his crew following behind him. The man from my dreams turns back towards me, brushing my hair from my already bruising shoulder. A frown mars his beautiful face, and I can see his nostrils flare, his eyes flashing in fury.
“They hurt you. I should have done more than break a few bones,” he growls angrily, his voice sending shivers of desire shooting up and down my body. Even with the adrenaline from my run-in with The Outlaws still coursing through my veins, I notice the slight, very sexy accent in the man’s voice. The little one claps his hands, startling me out of my admiration of the gorgeous male before me.
“I hope you’re alright,” starts the smaller man. “My name is Kalino, and this is my big brother, Gino.” He reaches out a hand, bringing my trembling fingers to his lips. I blush furiously at the odd treatment. The smaller man’s dark hair reflects golden streaks in the sunlight. His hair hangs down past his waist, fluttering slightly in the stifling Missouri breeze. His regal face stares at me with a bemused smile and twinkling aquamarine eyes with a hazel ring around their outer edge. I swallow nervously and move my gaze back to the raven-haired Gino.
“I—uh …” I swallow again, wetting my dry tongue. “Th-thank you. I just … thank you.” I breathe out, the adrenaline flowing out of my body, leaving me staggering in relief. I lean back against my car and close my eyes.
“Miss? Are you OK?” I hear the words of the smaller brother but can’t bring myself to move or open my eyes. My knees collapse. Before I can hit the ground, strong arms grasp me and lift me up, and I fade out of consciousness, succumbing to the oblivious relief of not being taken back to Samael.
Chapter 6 - Gino
After dropping Faustino off at his work, Kalino and I go to the local grocer. Pulling into the parking facility, I notice several men on two-wheeled vehicles removing helmets and looking around the tiny parking area. Chills of unease race up and down my spine as the men circle a small, black, four-door vehicle. Three of the men look through the windows of the small transport as if searching for something. I step uneasily out of our vehicle, watching the men cautiously.
“Hey!” shouts one of the men, chasing after us. I keep walking. “Have you seen a Latina girl with medium-brown skin and dark hair?”
Kalino shakes his head and waves him off. The man nods and races back towards the others. I hear a whimpering sound from nearby and can’t help but frown as we enter the store. Kalino and I hurriedly grab the necessary items, checking out with a sense of urgency. I’m worried about what the men outside want, and Kalino seems to sense it. He quickly pays for the groceries and grabs several bags, lining them along his arms. I grab the rest and follow him back out to our car. We place the bags into the trunk, slamming it closed as I hear a yelp from the nearby alley.
I see the woman from the night before sprinting out of the alley, running to the black car that the men were inspecting before. She tries to get a key into the door with shaking hands, eventually dropping the keys as the men close ranks around her. I growl, crossing over to the men surrounding the women with Kalino behind me. One of the men grabs the woman by the shoulder and slams her against the car door, rattling the glass and denting the door.
I fight my dragon for control and dash towards the men, grabbing the arm of the one who is raising it to hit the woman. I jerk his arm back as the woman peeks out of cautious eyes, tossing the man to the side. I take in the woman’s terrified face, growling as I notice the hands of one of the men still on her shoulder in a bruising grip. I yank his fingers back one at a time, ensuring to break a few, then throw the man away from her as I fight down my furious dragon. I take in deep breaths as Kalino deals with the other men.
After the men have left and Kalino has introduced us to the woman, she slumps against the car, her eyes fluttering shut. I scoop her up as she collapses to the ground and cradle her seemingly slight weight against my chest. “What should we do with her?” asks Kalino, frowning at the unconscious woman.
“We can’t leave her here. Those men could come back at any time,” I say. There’s not a doubt in my mind that this woman is in danger.
Kalino nods. “We should take her home. At least that way we can make sure she’s alright.”
I nod and walk towards our car as Kalino scoops up the woman’s fallen keys. I sit in the back seat with the woman’s head on my lap, her mane of hair spread across my legs. My cock twitches at the sight, and I scold myself for the inappropriateness of it. Kalino starts driving, and I inspect the woman closely as we head home. Her sienna lips are parted somewhat, a gentle smile gracing them. Her button nose twitches slightly as I trace her forehead, little shocks racing up my hand at the contact. I tuck her hair behind her gently pointed ears, enjoying the feel of the silky locks on my skin.
We’re supposed to be keeping a low profile, but I can’t bring myself to regret helping the gorgeous woman in my lap. When we pull into our overgrown driveway, I step out of the transport with the woman in my arms. Adelmo frowns down at me from the roof, hopping down as Kalino passes through the front entry, his arms loaded down with bags of groceries. Adelmo unloads the rest of our goods silently, and I walk into the house, up the stairs, and into the empty bedroom across the hallways from Yelena’s. I balance the woman carefully as I shift the linens on the bed, making space for her. Then I gently place her on the bed, pulling the covers over her and tucking them under her sides. I admire her sleeping face for a moment prior to exiting the room, shutting the door behind me. When I arrive in the kitchen downstairs, I find my three brothers standing around, waiting for me.
“I thought you went into town for groceries, not a mate,” says Vittorio.
My dragon purrs at his words, but I’m irritated and growl at him in response. “She’s not my mate.” I can feel the unease slithering through me.
“Right …” he replies, doubtfully.
“Where’s Yelena?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Upstairs napping,” replies Vittorio, smiling fondly. “I took her for a swim in the lake earlier. It tired her out.”
I imagine Yelena frolicking in the water, splashing water on the serious Vittorio, and I can’t help but chuckle a little.
“Perhaps the woman can help us with our lack of female experience,” says Adelmo thoughtfully.
“We don’t even know if the female is good with children, much less a dragoness,” I reply with a sigh, trying to ignore the warm feeling that has been settling in my chest ever since I held her. “When she wakes, we’ll figure out what to do.”
My brothers nod, turning to put away the supp
lies we got in town earlier.
“We should get some work done while the ladies are resting,” says Kalino as he walks out of the kitchen. We nod, following behind him. Vittorio, Adelmo, and I climb up on the roof, while Kalino crosses into the shed containing the salvaged tech from our capsules. We work for a couple of hours, patching up the remaining holes in the roof and replacing any damaged tiles. All the while, the image of the woman sleeping below me sits firmly in my head. After some time, Yelena joins us outside and sits on the grass while watching us work. As the sun sets and Kalino leaves to pick up Faustino from work, I climb down to get my daughter, only to find her gone. I frown and turn to Vittorio.
“Have you seen Yelena?”
“No. She’s probably occupying herself with a book or something,” he shrugs nonchalantly, turning back to finish clearing our supplies.
“I’m going to check on her. I’m sure she’s hungry by now, even if she is occupied with reading or something.” I walk to the door, feeling a slight spike of anxiety as I start looking for my daughter.
“We should probably be more careful with that human female around,” I hear Adelmo saying as he climbs down the ladder.
I hear a humming sound coming from the kitchen and smell the delicious scent of cooking meat. I walk into the kitchen, leaning against the door as I watch the source of the noise shuffling about from cabinet to cabinet, pulling down plates, bowls, and cups. I smile as the woman taps Yelena on the nose, seeing my daughter giggling furiously in response. Yelena looks up and smiles excitedly at me.
“Papá!” she squeals in excitement, hopping off the counter and rushing towards me. She launches herself into my arms, and I spin her around before settling her on my right hip and walking into the kitchen to meet the most gorgeous female I’ve ever seen.
“Hello,” I greet her.
She smiles shyly at me. “Hey … I hope you don’t mind,” she gestures around, “I wanted to thank you and your brother for helping me.”
I nod at her, admiring her full lips and shy smile.
She licks her lips, stirring my dragon. “My name is Rosana,” she says, wiping her hand on the back of her pants and holding it out toward me in greeting. I take her hand and raise it to my lips, kissing it gently. An electric shock zings through my lips on contact with her skin, sending shivers up and down my spine. I smile and see bumps forming on her arms. She pulls her hand gently away, blushing furiously and wetting her lips with her tongue. I step back to avoid making her uncomfortable and set down Yelena in one of the chairs at the end of the counter.
“It’s nice to meet you, Rosana,” I reply. “My name is Gino. I see that you’ve set out seven plates. Can I assume that Yelena has told you about my brothers?”
Rosana smiles and nods, humming as she pulls something out of the oven and moves some pans around on the stovetop. “Yeah, Lena and I have been chatting since I woke up. She’s a very smart girl,” she says, smiling fondly at Yelena.
I look at my beaming daughter and feel warmth spreading through my chest. “We think so too,” I chuckle.
Rosana serves up seven plates of food, one with smaller portions, setting them around the eight-seater table.
Kalino and Faustino come in, chattering loudly. “Mmm, something smells good. Did you finally learn how to cook, Boss-man?” shouts Faustino as he washes his hands at the kitchen sink.
I shake my head, crossing from the dining table to smack him upside the head. “Our guest, Rosana, made dinner. Behave,” I say to Faustino, who is now introducing himself to Rosana. Kalino washes up before turning to Yelena and tossing her up into the air. Her excited giggles make Rosana smile, and I admire her again as Adelmo and Vittorio come into the kitchen, each taking their turn to wash their hands and face.
“I’m so glad Gino isn’t cooking again,” mumbles Vittorio.
Kalino snorts out a laugh. “I wouldn’t call what G does cooking, more like burning,” he says as he smacks Faustino’s raised hand in celebratory response. I shake my head and walk into the dining room behind Rosana, briefly closing my eyes when her scent hits my nostrils with full force.
“Forgive my brothers,” I whisper into her ear, “they get excited easily.”
She smiles kindly back at me, her jasmine and pine scent tickling my senses as her hair brushes my face with her movement. Once everyone is settled, I begin the introductions. “Everyone, this is Rosana. Rosana, these are my brothers,” I point to each brother in turn, “Kalino, who you met earlier. Vittorio, Adelmo, and Faustino.” I smile down at Yelena, who is seated to my right. “And this is my beautiful daughter, Yelena.”
Rosana smiles across the table at Yelena, who giggles. The food is divine, and we all eat with relish, the sound of scraping forks and moans of pleasure filling the air. My brothers make light conversation and occasionally crack a joke, but for some reason—and I suspect I know what, or better, who the reason is—my brain seems to be too clogged up for me to say much.
“That was delicious, Rosana,” says Kalino as he finishes his food. “Please cook for us every night!”
She laughs at him before responding. “I wish. I’m just glad I could do something in return for your help earlier. You guys got me out of a really bad situation. I don’t want to impose, so if you don’t mind taking me back to my car, I can head out.” I can feel my stomach drop.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Kalino asks. “Those men could be waiting for you to come back.” I can see Rosana shiver, nibbling her lip in worry. “You should at least stay the night. We have a spare room. You can wash up and get some rest,” Kalino continues.
She nods in relief. “Yeah, OK. I mean, if that’s fine with you guys, then I’d be very glad to stay here for the night.”
“Kal told me about your run-in earlier,” says Faustino. “If you don’t mind me asking, what did those men want from you?”
She bites her lip, looking around before answering. “It’s not a problem … They … they’re friends of someone I’ve been trying to get away from.”
I can see that she doesn’t want to offer any more details, so I steer the conversation away. “Where do you live? Maybe we could take you home in the morning and bring your vehicle to you?” I ask, watching her face intently.
She chews on her lip. “I … uh … I’m in between places right now,” she says. “I was just passing through town. I stopped to pick up a few odd jobs to make some money before moving on … didn’t think The Outlaws would follow me to a little town like this.”
I look at my brothers, and when they nod at me, I clear my throat. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way,” I begin, “but if you’re looking for work, we could really use the help.” My brothers nod in agreement, although I can see one or two of them shooting me a suspicious glance. I ignore them. “As you’ve probably noticed, we have a lot of work to do around the estate to make everything functional.” She looks me in the eye, and I can feel my loins tightening. “Well, it would be a huge help if you’d stay, at least for now, and help look after Yelena. And cook,” I say, grimacing. “None of us are particularly adept in the kitchen.”
“We’ll pay you, of course!” says Kalino, taking over. “And you can stay here in the spare room. We’ll pay for food and everything.”
Rosana frowns, looking around at my brothers. “I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness,” she says hesitantly.
“Not at all,” replies Faustino. “Trust me; you’d be doing us a huge favor. We were just talking about looking for a nanny, someone to help with Yelena, and also cooking. Meeting you today must have been fate!”
Rosana smiles and nods her head. “I’ll think about it.”
“OK,” I respond, letting out a breath of relief. She didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no, either.
Rosana stands and begins clearing the dishes off the table when Vittorio and Adelmo stop her. Vittorio smiles gently at her before speaking.
“One thing we can do is wash the dishes. If you co
ok, we’re more than willing to clean,” he says softly. Rosana smiles appreciatively at him and mumbles her thanks. Yelena yawns, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back.
“I’m sleepy, Papá,” she says groggily.
I smile at her, lifting her into my arms. While I carry her up to her room, Rosana follows behind me. I set Yelena on the edge of the bed and take off her shoes while Rosana reaches into the closet and pulls out some night clothes for Yelena. The gesture makes me swallow; this woman has power over me, which could be dangerous. Rosana comes over and kneels before Yelena, helping her change. She whispers to Yelena, who giggles and hugs her before climbing into bed. I smile at her gentle touch as Rosana folds the blankets over Yelena, tucking her in and kissing her forehead. After I bend over and kiss Yelena, I turn off the lights and leave the room with Rosana.
“Thank you,” I whisper to Rosana, who smiles gently at me.
“Of course,” she replies, a heavy silence settling between us before she breaks it again. “Uh—I don’t suppose you have a towel I could borrow?”
I swallow and nod, leading her to the bathroom connecting our two rooms. I open a cabinet, showing her a selection of towels, washcloths, and soaps.
“Feel free to shower or bathe,” I say, gesturing at the large tub in the corner and the white, tiled shower next to it. “There are spare hygiene items in the various cabinets. You can look around for anything you need.” She nods in response, and I gesture at the far door. “My room is through here if you need anything.”
“Thanks,” she says. I nod and am turning to leave her to clean up when she speaks again. “Uhm, Gino?” The sound of my name coming from her lips instantly makes me hard. I now understand why humans like these jeans … they hide erections. I grimace, straightening my face before turning to her.
“Yes?”
She nibbles on her lip hesitantly, the sight making my mouth water. “I … don’t have any spare clothes. Could I borrow something to sleep in?”
