“Damn, look at y’all. Cast on Gimpy and hunchback with Impy,” Everleigh groans, motioning between the both of us.
I try to straighten my back but wince, feeling the pull and ache against my ribs.
“Maybe I should stay here instead of Everleigh’s,” Quinlin mumbles softly.
“Hey, no one kicked you out, but you didn’t sign up to play nurse,” Magnolia groans, motioning for the bag of food.
Quinlin walks to the kitchen, taking out a few plates as she piles on the food, and hands it over to Magnolia.
“Feelin’ better at least?” Everleigh asks.
“Tryin’ not to take the meds they gave me, but it doesn’t tickle,” Magnolia groans, shoveling the Thai food into her mouth.
There’s another knock on the door, and I stand to answer it, shaking Magnolia’s brother’s hand as he walks into the apartment.
“Nolie, Jesus Christ,” he gasps, running to her side and kneeling before her.
“I’m okay, Luca. I’m fine.”
Luca glances up at Everleigh, and I don’t miss the quick exchange between the two of them. He clears his throat, looking back at Magnolia as he takes the seat on the couch next to her. “Listen, I...I think I know who did this,” Luca starts to say.
“What? Who?” Magnolia asks, putting her food back down onto the coffee table.
Luca takes a deep breath and looks over at me before looking over at Everleigh and then finally back to Magnolia. “Word around the um...family...is that the girl Giacomo knocked up, fled.”
“Speak faster,” Everleigh snaps.
“It wasn’t his baby,” Luca continues. “And he’s about to lose his father’s company…”
“So what the hell does that have to do with me?” Magnolia asks.
“You’re pregnant, Magnolia.”
“Obviously,” she answers, annoyed, pointing down at her belly.
“With a boy,” Luca continues.
“So? Luca, spit it out, dammit,” Magnolia growls.
“All right, all right. I mean, I don’t know for sure, but the timing is suspicious. This whole shit show blew up in his face a few weeks ago.”
“Wait. A few weeks ago? That’s when my car got fucked up,” I add, looking around at the group.
“You think it’s related?” Everleigh asks.
“What the hell is he trying to do, Luca?” Magnolia asks, fear lacing her words.
I grab her hand and squeeze it, hating the look on her face but knowing whatever this psycho is capable of, it almost got my baby and Magnolia killed. He’s gotta go.
“I’m not entirely sure, but I’m working with Kieran,” Luca says.
“What?” Everleigh snaps++ “Why the fuck did my brother not tell me about this?”
“Easy, Ev. I told him not to, not until we knew for sure.”
“Well, maybe you need to stop doin’ whatever the hell you want and consider other people’s feelings for once,” Everleigh yells, getting to her feet.
“Y’all stop,” Magnolia pushes. “Luca, what do we do?”
He looks over at Everleigh, who crosses her arms over her chest and tries to suppress the growl I can sense she wants to let out. What is it with these two?
“Stay safe and stay alert. If it’s Giacomo, he’s a wild card. You girls should consider staying somewhere else where you’ll be safer in case—”
The sound of a butterfly knife opening interrupts Luca’s suggestion, and I see the metal twirling around in Everleigh’s hand.
“We got it,” Everleigh adds, nodding to the door as Quinlin follows behind her.
I look over at Luca and see the pained expression on his face, his foot tapping as the girls leave. The look of a man that wants to follow but knows he shouldn’t—knows he can’t—but it’s killing him to listen to reason.
“It’s not too late to make things right with her,” Magnolia whispers, putting her hand on her brother’s forearm.
“I’m engaged, Nolie. That’s as far as too late as it comes,” he sighs.
“Hey, I don’t remember you bein’ such a pansy. You’re a Giordano, Luca. You want somethin’ ain’t nobody gonna be able to stand in your way till you get it. Look around, brother.” Magnolia spreads her hands wide, and Luca laughs, rolling his eyes as he stands.
“I’ve missed you, Nolie. I’m happy y’all are okay, just...be careful.”
She nods as he kisses her forehead and then slaps me on my back, leaving the apartment.
“I could sense they had a thing,” I say, sitting back down next to her on the couch.
“They had more than a thing they had...everything, then he went and...well guys. No offense, but your species is really exceptional at messin’ up a good thing.”
“Can’t argue with you there. Let’s get you to bed, though. We got a busy few months making sure my girl Madam Siren makes her return to the pole. Can’t have those sailors thinking they’re going to be having a smooth journey, can we?”
“Now, what is the fun in smooth sailin’?”
20
Landry
“My armpits hate me right now,” Magnolia groans as I open the apartment door for her to crutch inside.
“I can add more padding. Why didn’t you let me get you that little wheeling thing?”
“It’s dangerous. What if I fall off that thing? Crutches are easier to maneuver with a belly.”
“I can always wheel you in a wheelchair, Magnolia. Don’t be difficult.” I sense my mistake after the words have already slipped out of my mouth and squeeze my eyes shut, backtracking. “I didn’t mean you’re difficult; I just meant—”
“I. Am. Pregnant, Landry. It is hard enough to just be pregnant, but now I can’t walk, I can’t even pee by myself, so excuse me if I’m bein’ difficult!”
“I didn’t mean that, okay? Sit on the couch; I’ll make you up a plate.”
She exhales, sitting onto the couch as I take off her shoe and massage her feet. I see the stress written all over her face and hate that I’m the reason she’s here right now. If I would have seen the car…
“Don’t do that,” she whispers. “I see your face, Landry, don’t put this on your shoulders.”
“I can’t help it,” I rasp, digging my fingers into the balls of her feet harder. “I see you struggling, I see how hard this is for you, and I was the one driving, Magnolia.”
“Giacomo or whoever the hell was behind this would have gotten to me another way. Am I used to livin’ like this? Being dependent on someone? No, but we’re here, and we’re fine.”
She cups my cheek, and I close my eyes, burrowing my face into her palm.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. I’m sorry I snapped at you, I just...physical therapy is frustratin’ and well...you know, everything,” she says with a laugh.
“Don’t apologize to me for being human. Let me make you some food, okay?”
She nods, and I kiss her quickly before I move back toward the kitchen to make her some soup. My phone buzzes and I see that it’s my mother, but I don’t want to deal with that right now. We had plans for her to meet Magnolia before the whole accident went down, and now that it’s been a few weeks, she wants to come and see how we’re doing. Eloise has been filling them in, but mothers worry no matter what.
I throw all the ingredients into the pot and keep it simmering for a little while as I walk back into the living room and check on Magnolia. I can’t imagine what she’s going through, having been in the best shape of her life to struggling curling her toes in a matter of weeks.
I hear a knock on the door and look over to her sleeping body slumped against the couch. She doesn’t move, so I walk over, checking the peephole, and curse when I see it’s the girls.
Opening the door, I push out into the hall, careful not to lock myself out in the process.
“What’s the matter?” Eden asks.
“She’s sleeping. She needs her rest. She bit my head off, and I don’t blame her. All this sucks,”
I groan, running a hand down my face.
“Well, we can tag in if you want? We all took the night off,” Addison says.
“Actually, I...I have something to ask all of you.” I look around at each of their faces and take in the deep breath I’ve been holding since I realized what I was about to do. “I wanted to...ask all of you for...well I wanna...I want to marry Magnolia, and I want your blessings,” I finally blurt out.
I check their reactions, seeing the metamorphosis from shocked to smirking, to happy.
“You think you can handle our girl for the rest of your life, huh?” Eden asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I…”
“Good, bad, ugly?” Addison chimes in, crossing her arms too.
“Knowin’ that your balls are on the line every time you fuck up? Anytime she calls us cryin’,” Everleigh asks, flipping open her knife at me.
“Jesus, how many of those things do you have?” I mumble.
“She’s got plenty, sap. I’ve got toys too, big toys,” Eden adds.
“All right, I love her, okay? I wanna marry her and make her a Laurent, just like our son.”
“So you’re just marrying her for the baby?” Addison asks.
“No, no, that’s not—”
“You secure enough to let her dance at RISE?” Eden asks, arching an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Once her knee heals up, which we all know she won’t rest until it does, she’ll be back at that club doin’ what she loves to do. Are you prepared to share your wife with the world? Because so help me God, Landry Laurent, if you ever make her give up that look on her face, I’ll—”
“Slice my balls off with your shank? Yeah, I got that,” I interrupt Everleigh. “And I would never make her give up a damn thing for me.”
The girls all exchange a look between themselves, and then they turn their smiles on me. I swear I shake in my boots for a second, just a second, before all three of them wrap me in a hug.
“You marry one of us, you marry all of us. You okay with that, sap?” Eden asks, punching my shoulder.
Yep, dead arm. Where in the fuck did these ladies come from?
“That expression sounded much better this time around,” Addison mumbles.
“I know I do,” I say. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Then hell yes, you can marry her,” Everleigh agrees, slapping me on the back. “But we got free rein on the bachelorette party.”
21
Magnolia
“Keep goin’, keep goin’ keep goin’,” Tommy, my physical therapist chants.
“Shit,” I gasp as I try and pull my leg forward, doing my knee stabilizers.
“Three. Two. One. Excellent!” Tommy smiles, giving me a high five as he helps me back down to sit.
“This is pathetic,” I mumble, taking the water bottle he hands me as I gasp for breath and take a long swig.
“Hey, you’re six months pregnant on top of all this, Magnolia. Give yourself some credit. You’re doin’ great.”
“Your ass still looks phenomenal in those pants, by the way.”
I turn and see Landry leaning in the doorway, and he winks at me.
“Can’t argue with him there,” Tommy mumbles.
I roll my eyes, finishing off my water bottle as I reach for my crutches and stand.
“Flattery will get you nowhere. I still hate you,” I point at Tommy. “And flattery will maybe get you somewhere. Keep goin’,” I whisper to Landry before he plants a very public kiss on my lips. “Mmm, what was that for?”
“Just making sure he knows to keep his hands on your knee and away from that delectable ass,” Landry growls.
My body heats, coming to life after weeks of beating it up. I’m not healing fast enough. I should be able to at least put weight on it. Why does it still hurt? Why can’t it work the way I want it to work? They’re right, though. This body has always been good to me, pushing it to the limit every day in the studio or the club, and I reward it. I take care of it. It survived. I have to give it more credit, give myself more credit. I am growing a baby, after all.
Landry’s hand sliding up my thigh causes me to suck in a breath, and the libido I thought was gone comes roaring back to life. It’s been weeks since we got the okay to resume activities as normal, listen to my body. I haven’t wanted to do much of anything except wallow and try and get myself back to normal, but right now, I want him. I want Landry like I used to want Landry.
“Magnolia?”
“I want you,” I blurt out. “Take me home. Right now.”
Landry smiles, that sexy, flirty smile I’ve missed so much, and he brushes my hair off my face, kissing me. “You need ice and stim.”
“I can do it later,” I pout.
“No, you need to do it now after your exercises. I’m not going anywhere, baby.” He kisses me on the forehead and backs away from me before I can grab him.
“Tease,” I mutter.
We take the next hour, taking care of my knee and the fifteen-minute drive back to my apartment in sexually charged silence as I try and think about how this is going to go. I can’t put any weight on it yet, not much of anything at least. It’ll be in a cast, it’ll be awkward, it’ll…
“Stop overthinking this, Magnolia. If you aren’t ready then—”
“No,” I blurt. “I want to, I really want to, I just don’t know...I don’t know how it’s gonna...go.”
“Slow,” he whispers, parking in my guest spot in the parking garage. “It’s going to go slow, and I am going to make it a night you won’t forget for as long as you live.”
I sigh, moving my face into his palm as I literally feel myself swoon. My heartbeat picks up, my body starts to tingle, and my brain is clear, nothing inside it except the need to be near him, the desire for him to touch me.
“Okay,” I whisper. “I trust you.”
“Good girl.”
Landry helps me get out of the car as I crutch behind him, getting into the elevator and taking it right to the top floor. I feel his hand on my lower back stiffen, but when the two men at my door turn around, a smile breaks out on my face.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” I laugh, seeing Kieran’s face break out into a big smile as he walks toward us and wraps me into a hug.
“Sorry it’s taken me this long to check on you,” Kieran says.
“It’s not like your sister lives across the hall or anything, butthead,” I laugh, punching him in his arm.
“You’re right, brat. I’ve been on a case, I’m sorry. How are you feeling?”
“Been better, but I’ll get there. Come in. Somethin’ tells me this wasn’t just a social call, was it?”
I eye my brother, and he sighs, shaking his head as he rubs at the back of his neck—typical nervous Luca habit.
“Wish it was,” Luca mumbles.
I feel a hand on my lower back again and turn, grabbing Landry’s hand.
“Sorry, how rude of me. Kieran, this is my boyfriend, Landry. Landry, this is Everleigh’s brother, Kieran.”
“Ah, the shank one, right? She’s...pleasant,” Landry says with a smile, shaking Kieran’s hand.
“Always has been. Nice to meet you, man.”
I unlock my door, ushering them inside as Landry offers them a drink, and I sit, putting my leg up onto the ottoman.
“How much longer you got?” Kieran asks.
“The baby or the knee?” I ask.
“Both.”
“Baby, three more months, knee depends. Hopefully have it all off and done with before the baby comes. It’s...hard bein’ pregnant.”
“Well, your body knows the knee will heal in time. It’s focusing on growing that little man in there. Give it some credit. You’re not Wonder Woman, Nolie, even though you are pretty damn close,” Luca laughs.
“Yeah, yeah. What do you got for us?” I ask, bracing myself for the news.
I know with Kieran being here, this has now turned into a police i
nvestigation, or at least it’s starting to steer that way.
"Well, Giacomo is missing," Luca sighs.
“Not shocked,” Landry mumbles.
“He was the one that vandalized your car. Security finally matched facial recognition, and when we went to raid his apartment, we found his car,” Kieran elaborates.
“Okay…” They’re not telling me something; I can feel it. I furrow my brow, waiting for them to continue, and Luca sits, swallowing as he grips my hands.
“They found his car with duct tape and rope,” he finally says.
“What the hell was he gonna do with that?” I know before the words are even out of my own mouth what he was planning on doing.
“We think he was gonna take you. Force you to leave Landry and raise the baby with him to claim his father’s legacy,” Kieran responds.
“But it’s not his baby!” I snap.
“His father doesn’t know that. Who knows if they would have done a paternity test or not? It’s just our theory. You know how much he wanted that company, Nolie,” Luca says.
“And what does Antonio say about all this? Did you question him?” I ask.
“Of course, we talked to him. He assures us that Giacomo was cut off from the family, and the prospects of a legacy were lost a while ago. He’s not stepping down; he’s banking on his younger son, Guitano.”
“Well, that’s great, now Giacomo’s pissed and desperate. He’s got nothing left to lose,” Landry snarls, getting to his feet.
“We’ll have someone outside your apartment, twenty-four seven. Don’t leave her side,” Luca warns, pointing at Landry.
“Never,” he says with conviction.
“Okay, stop actin’ like I’m not right here. Can I ask a question? Why would Giacomo just leave his car at home with duct tape and rope in the trunk, basically incriminatin’ himself? Giacomo was a lot of things, but he was never careless,” I muse.
Luca and Kieran seem to be thinking about this before they open their mouths to respond.
“There was a sign of a struggle. His trunk was open and busted, and his wallet was left at the scene.”
“Okay, I know I’m not a cop, but that sounds like such a setup. Someone wants us to think he was taken,” I say, sitting up a little straighter.
Delivered in Sin Page 20
