Enshrine

by Chelle Bliss

  watch over her shoulder as Bruno’s mom finally lets him go.

  “You say that now, but wait.” Lee laughs.

  Mrs. Bruno turns her attention toward me. “Who do we have here?”

  “Mom, Callie. Callie, Mom,” Bruno introduces us, motioning back and forth.

  Her eyes widen and she takes a step forward. “Oh, you’re a pretty little thing.”

  I smile and feel my face flush. “Thanks.” I look down toward my feet. Her warm hands touch my cheeks before she cradles my face in her hands.

  “Let me get a better look at you.” She smiles and I smile back as my stomach starts flipping on its own. “Perfection,” she whispers and looks over at Bruno. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from my boy.”

  I rub my hands together and hold them up to my mouth, trapping my warm breath. It helps hide my facial expression, which is a mix of uneasiness and happiness.

  “It’s cold outside. Inside everyone.” Lee puts her hand against my back and ushers me forward.

  Bruno comes to my side and holds the door for me. “Brace yourself. It gets wackier.”

  I giggle because I don’t think his parents are crazy. Maybe they verge on eccentric, but we all have a bit of odd living inside us. Some of us are just better at hiding it than others are.

  “Lucca,” Mrs. Bruno yells upstairs. “Get your lazy ass down here and say hello to your brother.” She looks over her shoulder at us. “And his sexy as hell girlfriend.”

  As soon as she finishes the statement, a door upstairs opens and Lucca appears, half dressed. His eyes flicker back and forth between us as he jogs down the stairs, a giant, lopsided smile spreading across his face. “Nice,” he mutters as his eyes travel up my body.

  “Stop it.” Bruno slaps him upside the head and his entire body jerks.

  “I didn’t do anything, asshole,” Lucca sneers at Bruno, but he keeps his eyes glued to me.

  “Stop looking at her like a slice of pie.”

  “I bet she’s sweeter.”

  Bruno hits him again, this time a little harder, and Lucca yelps. “I’m seriously going to kick your ass this weekend, Lucca. Stop being a dick.”

  I start to giggle uncontrollably. Even though Lucca is kind of a shit, I give him a pass because he’s a kid. Plus, the way he gets under Bruno’s skin, I kind of adore him.

  “Don’t worry,” Lucca tells Bruno and scratches his head. “My woman is coming over in a few.”

  “Yet you aren’t even dressed,” Lee says as she pushes past him and makes a noise deep in her throat.

  “Who needs clothes when she’s around?” Lucca laughs and flexes his muscles.

  “I just can’t believe you have a woman.” Bruno sighs. “Wonders never cease.”

  “I’ve had more tail than you ever will, Rocco.”

  The names are confusing. I have to remember that they don’t call him Bruno because they are all Brunos.

  Bruno moves behind me and helps me with my jacket before removing his own. “Go into the living room and sit by the fire to warm up while I carry in the luggage.”

  “Okay.” I’m still laughing at the way he acts with his brother. I’m envious. But then again, I envy them all for having each other. It is everything I want and haven’t had since my childhood.

  “Cal,” Lee yells from the living room.

  “Coming,” I call out and stand on my tiptoes to give Bruno a kiss before disappearing in the direction of her voice.

  “Wow,” I mutter when I walk into the living room, which is at the back of the house. Wall-to-wall windows give the most spectacular view of the lake. Snow covers the trees and the lake is the darkest blue I’ve ever seen.

  “Yeah, sometimes I forget how beautiful it is here.” Lee pats the couch next to her. “Sit.” I follow orders and sit down, but I keep my eyes glued to the windows. The view of the snow falling, fluttering onto the lake, and then disappearing captivates me. “How was the drive? Do you need a rest?”

  “I slept in the car. You know your brother isn’t the best conversationalist.”

  She laughs and lies back into the couch. “How are you feeling?”

  “Pretty good, actually.”

  “Did you have the scan and blood work done since your last treatment?”

  I give her a halfhearted smile. “Yeah. I went yesterday and did everything. Now, we just wait and see.”

  “No matter what—” she wraps her arm around my back, hugging me awkwardly “—you can face anything.”

  “I wonder,” I mutter, not realizing I say that out loud.

  “You can. I remember how scared I was to get mine done. I worried that the cancer had spread and that the chemo didn’t work. I worried for nothing.”

  “But what if I’m not as lucky as you are?”

  She kicks her feet up on the coffee table, and after I push my shoes off, I do the same. Lee makes me comfortable. “Then you fight again.”

  I look over at her and frown at the thought. “It’s not that easy.”

  “It is. It won’t be easy, but what other choice is there, really?”

  “None,” I admit and hold her hand, wrapping our fingers together. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Lee.”

  “I’m pretty awesome, aren’t I?” She covers her mouth with her free hand.

  “You are.” I smile and push back the tears. Bruno has gotten me through so much; he gives me so much strength, but Lee has given me something he never could—hope and self-confidence.

  “Fuck!” Mrs. Bruno yells from the kitchen.

  “I should go check on her.”

  “I’ll come too,” I tell her, climbing to my feet and following her out of the living room.

  Mrs. Bruno is on the floor covered in flour when we walk in, and Lee grabs a towel and joins her. “What happened, Mom?”

  She blows out a breath, creating a cloud. “Your damn father and his Chicken Piccata. The man has to be difficult.”

  “You make the best, though, Mom.”

  “Aren’t I lucky?” She laughs, reaching for another towel on the counter. “What a mess.” I pull the roll of paper towels off the holder and dip a handful under the water and join them. “Oh, Callie. Don’t get all dirty.”

  “I can’t just watch you girls have all the fun, can I?”

  “Babe, if this shit is fun to you, then I think you need some help,” Mrs. Bruno tells me as she falls back on her butt.

  “What are you guys doing?” Bruno asks as he walks in.

  “We thought we’d do an assload of coke and found this was the best way to do it.” His mom snickers without looking up.

  “Mom…”

  “What the fuck does it look like we’re doing, Rocco?”

  He is right about her. She has no filter. I love her.

  “Coke does sound good, though,” Lee teases and starts to laugh.

  “For the love of—” Bruno mutters and grabs a stack of towels from the drawer next to the sink.

  “It’s your father’s fault. He wants Piccata, and you know how I hate to touch chicken. I get all jumpy around it.”

  “Haven’t you gotten over your fear of chicken? It’s dead. It’s not going to attack you.” He shoos us out of the way and wipes the remnants of the flour from the pristine white-tile floor.

  “Bad acid trip,” she tells me before looking down at him. “I’ll never get over it.”

  “Where’s Gabby?” Lee asks, changing the subject.

  “She’s over at her friend’s house. They’re studying.” She uses quotes and rolls her eyes. “I don’t know why the girl can’t be honest about shit.”

  I lean against the counter, looking back and forth between Bruno and his mother. He scrubs his hand down his face and looks a little more serious than he did before. “Who’s the friend?”

  “Down, boy.” Mrs. Bruno points her finger at him.

  I almost fall over. I bite my lip and keep my mouth shut to hide my laughter.

  “Mom.”

  “Her
friend’s name is Trista or something,” Mrs. Bruno tells him, throwing the towel down the basement stairs.

  “You made me think she was at a boy’s house, for shit’s sake.”

  “Make no mistake.” She laughs. “They’re not studying.”

  “Wait.” Bruno stands up, his head tilts, and his eyes narrow. “Are you saying that Gabby and Trista are a thing?”

  “Yep.” His mom’s face tightens. “Quite the scandal in this small-town shithole.”

  “Oh, fuck what people think, Ma. Fuck them all.”

  “I know, sweetie. I just worry about my little girl.”

  Bruno holds his hands up. “Hold up here. So you’re saying Gabby is a…”

  Mrs. Bruno nods. “A lesbian. Yep.”

  A giant smile spreads across his face and his body visibly relaxes. “Thank shit.”

  “Huh?” Lee mutters while staring at her brother.

  “I won’t have to go to jail for killing some little prick for knocking her up. I’m good.” He laughs and drags his hand through his hair. Flour covers his face, and now, streaks of white pepper his hair. He glances down at his hand and realizes what he’s done. “Damn.”

  I squeeze his hand and smile. “It’s a good look on you, B.”

  “Go wash up, Doodlebug.” Mrs. Bruno grins at him, her eyes darting to me.

  My mouth drops open. Doodlebug? I look up at him, and his eyes are wide. He stiffens at my side. “Do not call me that, Mom.”

  She saunters up to him and strokes his cheek. “You’ll always be my doodlebug, Rocco.”

  “Oh my God.” Lee laughs hysterically behind Mrs. Bruno.

  “Doodlebug?” I whisper.

  Mrs. Bruno glances at me and continues to stroke his flour-covered face. “When this one was a little kid, he used to pull down his pants and piss on the driveway. He thought he was Picasso. Hence the nickname.”

  Bruno closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “I’m going to shower.” He squeezes my hand. “Want to join me?”

  I shake my head. “Nope.” I want to hear more about Doodlebug.

  26

  Memories

  When I wake in the morning, I watch him sleep. Last night was the most fun I’d had in…well, ages. After dinner, his parents pulled out old home movies and spent the evening embarrassing Bruno and entertaining me. They opened more than one bottle of champagne, and the more we drank, the funnier things became.

  Gabby had come barreling in after dinner and introduced herself, but she quickly excused herself to her bedroom. I thought I smelled a stench to her like maybe she’d been smoking pot, but I couldn’t be sure and it wasn’t any of my business. Bruno had eyed her warily but didn’t push the case.

  I love Becca to death, but her family would be classified as uptight compared to the Brunos. Hell, I think most of America would be. I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I think about them and watch him sleep.

  I trace the outline of his jaw, my fingers lingering against his skin. The tough, bossy man comes from such a loving family that something doesn’t fit.

  My brain can’t wrap itself around the fact that “Doodlebug” grew up to be “The Butcher.” I wonder if his parents know about him. Know about his current life, his work, his…reputation. They aren’t scared of him, but everyone else—at least in our area—knows him and quakes in their boots when he walks by.

  Circling around his chest with my fingers, I keep trying to hash it out in my brain. When he sleeps, he looks like a peaceful giant. I’d go as far as a teddy bear, but not one inch of him is soft.

  “Morning,” he whispers without moving.

  Lost in thought, I hadn’t realized he’d woken. “Morning, Doodlebug.” My eyes slide to his, but he doesn’t look amused.

  “Say it again,” he challenges me with a lopsided, lazy grin.

  “Doodlebug,” I whisper again and giggle.

  As if I weigh nothing, his hands grab my waist and he lifts me in the air before setting me down right on his…gulp.

  Bruno and I haven’t been intimate in so long. I’m sure he wants to, but sex has been the last thing on my mind—until now.

  “Now, what was that again?” His hands dig into my hips, almost painfully gripping my bare skin.

  “Doodlebug,” I croak, and I squirm against his hardened length.

  His hands slide to my ass and grip me roughly as he rolls his hips. I gasp and he sits up, quickly covering my mouth with his and capturing a moan before I wake the entire house.

  “Shh,” he whispers against my lips and pulls my body close to his, causing his dick to press into my flesh.

  “We can’t do this.” My fingernails dig into his shoulders. I don’t mean what I say, of course. I want him. It’s been too long, but this is still his parents’ house.

  “Why?” His eyebrows are drawn.

  “Your parents’ house.” I moan as he kisses a path down my neck. “We can’t.” My voice is needy.

  “They can’t hear,” he tells me against my skin. “I want you, Cal. I can’t wait any longer.”

  “I want you too,” I admit before tipping my head back and giving him better access to my breasts.

  He sucks in a breath, dragging his hands down my neck and settling just above my chest. He pushes down, causing my body to arch more and my head to dip closer to his legs with my chest jutted out. “Perfect.” He captures my nipple between his lips and I cry out.

  My hands rest on his shin, keeping me balanced while he worships my chest. I groan and squirm, rubbing myself against his dick. He’s rock hard, solid, and ready. When his hand slides between us, I moan so loudly I have to have woken somebody.

  I freeze and listen for noise, but Bruno doesn’t stop. My body needs this and so do I. Quite possibly he holds the record for the most time spent with a man without sex being involved. I don’t want it to be that way with us. He deserves pleasure and I want it.

  Just as I’m about to ask him to get a condom, as if reading my mind, he grabs one from the nightstand. I didn’t see it earlier, but he must’ve planned the entire thing. I’m not about to question him either.

  He tears it open with his teeth as I scoot down his legs. Within seconds, he has it on and I inch back up, ready to take him. But before I can, he grabs me and flips me on my back. He’s on top of me before I can protest.

  For a brief moment, I think he’ll be gentle. That he’ll slide inside me inch by inch, but I’m wrong. After he rubs his cock through my wetness and I’m panting like a cat in heat, he pushes inside quickly. I gasp and his hand covers my mouth, muffling my cries of pleasure.

  Latching on to his biceps, I push back in rhythm. When he pulls, I push as we fuck each other. Over a month of pent-up emotions come pouring out. The want. The need. The love?

  Wait.

  Do I love Bruno?

  I push the thought from my mind, letting our bodies become one and concentrating only on him. The way he smells, moans my name, and the feel of him in me and on top of me. The heaviness of his