Heartthrob (Bennett Brothers Series)

by Ahren Sanders

  “He didn’t know everything, but he knew how to help me.”

  “Now, you have a network of people to help you. Qualified people by your side.”

  “Last time we were sent home, the reports were grim,” Ina speaks up.

  “Things have changed. Now, you’re my patient. I agree with Claire; Stefano brought us into your life for a reason,” Mathis adds. “You have a fight ahead, things are going to remain tough, but the good news is we’ve found a treatment that has a chance. You haven’t had continuity of care, but the way this works is we keep fighting, keep testing, keep finding what works. If we think something isn’t effective, we change it. I think it’s important to get you on a normal schedule and routine. It’s one day at a time, but there is no reason for you to remain hospitalized.”

  “How will the new process work?” Ina directs her question to Mathis.

  He explains the next few days. Continue to evaluate Carlos and what happens after discharge. Dr. Cross will be taking over Carlos’ care for the weeks we’re gone for our wedding and honeymoon. They continue to talk over us, but my eyes remain on Carlos. He’s slowly processing all that’s being said, his face clearing of uncertainty.

  “Hope.” He squeezes my hand. “You gave us all hope.”

  My nose stings, and I search for something snarky to say before the tears appear. He senses my impending breakdown and swings his attention to Grace. “You think Sexy Six can get Mom and me tickets to the season opener?”

  “I’m sure that can be arranged if your doctors approve.” She giggles.

  “Whatcha think, Dr. Delicious? Can I go to the game?”

  That’s all it takes for the emotions to turn to amusement, and I burst into giggles, along with Grace and Ina. Mathis drops his chin to his chest but not before his lips twitch.

  “I think there’s a good chance you’ll be sitting at that game,” Dr. Cross answers with his own smile.

  “Awesome!”

  “I’d say so.” Ina appears equally as excited.

  “Now, is it safe to do a little dance and cheer in celebration?” Grace shimmies her hips.

  Carlos gasps at the scene, and I howl, falling to the side and into Mathis. Grace’s figure has remained slender; however, her stomach has ballooned out tremendously. When she shakes her hips this way, her abdomen bounces unnaturally. She is nowhere near her due date, but her size says differently.

  “Stop that!” Carlos groans. “Don’t shake that baby out in here.”

  Grace throws her hands in the air, huffing. “Why does everyone think I’m going to have this baby every time I move? Mathis, tell them I’m fine!”

  “She’s fine.” He doesn’t hide the laughter in his response.

  “Are we ready to play poker?” He shuffles the cards. “Seems like today is my day and luck is on my side.”

  “Oh, in your dreams. I may not be a whiz at chess, but you’ve seen my skills in poker. I’m an Ace.”

  His eyes fill with warmth, and he speaks directly to me with a gratitude I’ve seen once before, that morning outside my room on Stefan’s face. “I’m pretty sure you’re an Ace in most things.”

  Mathis grabs my hand, and I smile brightly at Carlos. “You’re going to be okay.”

  And I know it’s true.

  A fire flames in his gaze the minute I step into the living room. He swallows the whiskey in one gulp, sets the glass down, crosses his arms casually, and rakes his eyes over me.

  My skin tingles under the heat, and I know this dress was well worth the fortune I spent on it. The sapphire sequin mini-dress is tight in all the right places, hits mid-thigh, and exposes enough skin to be sexy without borderline risqué.

  “We’re canceling.”

  “For the third time, no, we’re not. I didn’t spend the last two hours primping to bail on dinner and sit in front of the television.”

  “I can promise you, we won’t be sitting in front of the fucking television,” he growls.

  “Sexual persuasion won’t work tonight. My parents will be crushed if we miss dinner.”

  “I’ll make it up to them.”

  He prowls my way with a look of invincible determination. My heart and stomach flutter in sync as I back up, hitting the edge of the sofa. He steps into my space, his hands going to my neck, his thumb pressing into my pulse, which gives me away. His lips crash down on mine, the bitter taste of whiskey coating my mouth. I whimper, melting into him, my tongue curling with his. His touch singes, igniting the familiar need that consumes me.

  The fancy dinner, magnificent dress and shoes, and reason for celebration fly out of my head as my leg hitches around his hip, and I try to crawl my way into his body. He thrusts and groans down my throat, his thickness sliding against my inner thigh. It’s my turn to moan in appreciation when he adjusts his pelvis to stroke along the strip of lace barely covering me. I fist my hand in the back of his hair, urging him to keep moving. He obeys my silent command, shifting one hand to my scalp and flexing my head backward, breaking our kiss. His mouth moves urgently over my jaw, under my chin, and traces a path down my neck. I pant as he continues to drive against me until the coiling begins.

  “Mathis,” I moan greedily.

  He doesn’t stop, rubbing himself against me until I cry out his name, feeling the slightest bit of relief but wanting more. “We’re skipping dinner.” My voice is barely recognizable.

  His teeth nip my skin at the base of my throat and he smiles. “Glad you see it my way. But I’ve changed my mind. We’re going, and when we get home, I’m going to take this dress off with my mouth.”

  I tense, hot and needy, clenching my thighs as tight as possible. “You can’t be serious. Take it off with your mouth now!”

  He sets me upright, letting go of my scalp and neck, and steps back. “Now, I have to change my pants.” There’s a gleam of smug satisfaction shining brightly at my annoyance.

  My eyes drop to his groin and notice not only the outline of his cock but also the wet spot seeping through the material. I scrape my nails up his length and run my thumb along the tip, teasing him.

  “Claire,” he bites out low in warning but doesn’t move. The glimmer transforms into hunger.

  Right as I slide my fingers to his zipper, there’s a knock at the door. Both our heads jerk at the sound, and he covers my hand with his. “Fuck,” he spews.

  “Who’s that?”

  “Our driver is here. I’ll go tell him we’ll meet him downstairs.”

  “I’ll go. You can’t answer the door like this.”

  His eyes rake over me again. “Baby, you may want to take a look in the mirror.”

  “Dammit.” I push past him and rush to our bathroom. “Mathis!” I scream when I see the damage. My lipstick is smeared everywhere his lips touched. The skin is pink and splotchy from his soft stubble. My hair is manageable but not nearly as styled as before. I grab a washcloth to blot his lip prints from my neck and jaw when I notice the marks. They’re small but distinguishable purple nips.

  “Mathis!” I shout again. He strolls out of the closet, and my irritation dies on my lips at the sight of him. In less than two minutes, he’s changed into charcoal grey slacks and a deep blue shirt that matches my dress. His hair is messy in the way you can tell my hands were running through it, and his bright blue eyes pierce into mine.

  Pure fucking sex appeal.

  My stomach flips and spine tingles as I fight the impulse to tackle him. His lips curl into a cocky grin, obviously reading my mind.

  “You screeched for me?”

  Screeched for him? My mind is blank, wiped of all logical thought.

  He crowds into my space, running his fingers along the indention of my collarbone. “Not too bad.”

  The lust-filled craze begins to clear, and I remember. “Were you trying to give me hickeys?”

  “It wasn’t my intention, but one look at you in this dress and all bets were off.”

  “How do I explain these?”

  “Like I sa
id, in this dress, no explanation necessary.”

  “Hickeys are for horny high school kids.”

  “Rubbing my dick against your pussy and blowing my load in my pants is for high school as well, but it still happened.”

  I inhale sharply at his bluntness, dropping my eyes to his groin.

  “Eyes up here, baby. We don’t have time for round two.”

  “Fine!” I huff. “Get out of here and give me a few minutes to try to cover these up.”

  He twists his torso, opening one of his vanity drawers and pulling out a long rectangular box. He turns back, popping it open to reveal a simple and elegant filigree chain with a sapphire pendant. “This may help cover them up.”

  I swallow hard, my stomach fluttering. “It’s beautiful.”

  “You’re beautiful. This is merely an accessory.”

  I shift, gathering my hair. “Put it on.”

  He does, kissing the back of my neck, then wraps his arms around my waist. “You ready now?”

  “Yes,” I reply, no longer caring about the spots.

  He takes my hand, linking our fingers, and guides me to the door. I snatch my purse from the entry table as he sets the alarm.

  Our security guard is waiting when we arrive downstairs, holding a car door open. After many days without any sign of threat from Stefano, the police didn’t see a need to keep a guard on me. Mathis disagreed, so he and Shaw hired this man today.

  I thought about arguing but chose to pick my battles. If this is what Mathis needs to feel like I’m safe, then so be it.

  When we drive up to the restaurant, I glance around in confusion. “Are we at the wrong place?”

  “No. Apparently, when I made reservations, the hostess recognized my name and posted it online. We changed restaurants, and your dad put it in his name.”

  “Makes sense.”

  He holds me close, leading me inside. We’re greeted by an elegant woman wearing an exquisite cocktail dress. Her smile is wide, her eyes glowing vibrantly. Without speaking, she waves us through the dining room. There aren’t a lot of patrons for a Thursday night, which seems odd, setting my suspicions on alert.

  “I love your dress.”

  This is not a lie. Now that I have a closer look, it’s the exact one I have my eye on in a certain designer store.

  She tosses that beaming smile over her shoulder.

  “Where’d you find it?”

  She doesn’t answer. I glimpse down and notice her shoes, immediately recognizing them as well. This is an upscale dining establishment, but even that doesn’t explain why the hostess looks like she’s walked off a runway.

  “And those shoes are killer.”

  Her steps falter a bit. Mathis squeezes my hand at the same time her eyes dart to him. His lips press into a fine line. A knot forms in my gut at their exchange, and I slow, purposely clipping the clasp and releasing my small purse. It tumbles to the floor, the contents scattering.

  I crouch to get the items and hear the distinct accent as she curses. “Shit.”

  It’s only one word. But it’s the way she said it that makes it unmistakable.

  Mathis kneels next to me, fidgeting anxiously and avoiding eye contact as he hands me my phone. The knot in my stomach begins to unravel with a mix of excitement and nervousness. In my mind, I know the answer, but there’s one way to be sure.

  “Sweetie?” I grab his attention and point to blazing red, rhinestone stilettos. “Aren’t her shoes divine?”

  He looks between the shoes and me, his expression slightly uneasy. “Sure, but we need to get to our table.” He takes my hand and tries to tug me.

  “No, baaaaby.” My high-pitched voice is syrupy sweet, and his eyes flare with understanding. This time, he tries to swoop me up, but I’m quicker. “I think I’m going to change all our wedding colors to this red.” I barely get the words out before he’s swept me off my feet.

  “The fuck you are!” Snark, sass, attitude, and total hard ass. There is no denying she’s my partner from across the country.

  “Hi, Rachel.” I give a fan wave in the air.

  “Goddammit, Claire,” Mathis grumbles, placing me back on my feet. “You and your fucking intuition.”

  I glance around, catching an ice blue eyeball staring at me. “Bizzy, stop creeping behind the wall!”

  Mathis blows out a breath, his head going to the ceiling. There’s an unhappy squeak, and Bizzy walks out, followed by Shaw.

  Rachel glares at me with beady eyes, her mouth set straight, and her arms crossed unhappily.

  “Oh, come on, what hostess wears two-thousand-dollar Chanel heels and a dress that is sold exclusively in the Gucci boutique in the Bellagio?”

  Her face softens, and her lips twitch, right before she doubles over cracking up. “I should have known.”

  I hand Mathis my satchel and go to her with my arms extended. She falls into me, embracing me warmly. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from seeing for myself that you’re okay.” She quotes a phrase Grace uses often.

  “Grace has gotten to you,” I point out.

  “Maybe, but the southern chick is kinda catchy.”

  “I know.” I pull back, keeping my arms around her. “It is a nice surprise to finally meet you.”

  Her eyes gleam, and I shake her gently. “Don’t you dare!”

  She inhales, swats my arm, and squares her shoulders. “The shimmer from your dress is blinding me.”

  Strong hands slide around my stomach, and Mathis leans to my ear. “Let’s greet your parents.”

  I let him lead me into the room to see my parents, winking at Bizzy as we pass. But as soon as we hit the doorway, I freeze. The room is packed with people who start clapping and cheering. Nurse Evie is at the front, whistling loud. Grandpa Roy is wearing a suit and hooting like crazy along with friends, family, and co-workers.

  Grace and Nick step forward with my parents, Grace glowing.

  I spin and pivot, taking in a ‘Congratulations’ banner, a table with presents, and an enormous picture of Mathis and me on a pedestal in the corner.

  I know it’s coming; there’s nothing I can do to stop it. My throat closes, eyes sting, and nose tingles. Prickles roll over my skin, and my knees finally give out. Mathis catches me before I fall, hauling me to him for support.

  Unable to find the words, I swipe at my cheeks but can’t stop the waterworks.

  “Tonight is when your spectacular begins,” Mathis speaks into my hair.

  I inhale sharply, peer up at his beautiful face, and tell him what he’s told me before.

  “My spectacular started a long time ago. A summer night when the man of my dreams walked into my college apartment and stole my heart.”

  Chapter 24

  Mathis

  3 ½ Weeks Later, Las Vegas

  “Rumor has it you pissed off your soon-to-be in-laws last night.” Shaw hands me a drink, grinning proudly. “It’s probably too late to give you advice, but that’s not a great way to start a marriage.”

  “Not a rumor, Kelly and I had a difference of opinion on Claire staying with them before the wedding. She pushed her view, and I shut it down. Mitch whole-heartedly agreed with me.”

  “Bet that didn’t go over well for him.”

  “Not my problem.” I shrug unapologetically.

  “We have a problem?” Nick joins the tail end of the conversation, his eyes darting around the room defensively.

  Gratitude and appreciation roll around my gut, knowing he’s scanning for anything out of place. It’s an unnecessary action. Shaw and Rachel worked together to get top-notch security that rivals what’s necessary for diplomats and politicians. We may have some highly affluent athletes attending this wedding, but their priority was Claire. Rachel assured me she was safe during the few times I wasn’t with her.

  “Mathis bucked the system, didn’t let Claire spend the night with her mom last night.”

  Nick whistles lowly through
his teeth. “Heard about that from Grace. Way to go, man. Even I didn’t—”

  “Stupid fucking tradition,” I cut him off. “I’m not sleeping without her by my side.”

  “You know, I used to tag Claire as the crazy one, but my perspective is changing. Maybe she’s actually sane.”

  I bring my drink to my mouth, making sure to shove my elbow forcefully into his ribs and enjoying the sound of his grunt.

  “Don’t you both have wives around here somewhere that are obligated to put up with your harassment?”

  “They’re with Claire. The nanny is putting the kids to bed, which leaves me free to give you shit.” Shaw tips his glass.

  “Gotta say, Brayden was the showstopper today. Glad you were able to work it out for him to be here.” Nick’s statement makes me smile.

  Nick is not lying. My nephew is definitely a Bennett. Claire and I wondered how he’d handle walking down the aisle and standing up for the ceremony. We planned for him to be with Shaw and Bizzy, but as soon as they walked through the archway, he let go of her hand and waltzed alone.

  Actually, he swaggered… stealing the moment. He stepped up next to me, shoved the ring pillow in the air, and smiled with his topaz eyes shining. If it wasn’t obvious before, it was in that instant. He’s a mini-Shaw in the making.

  “Sasha fucked up, and she knows it. In my mind, there was never a question Brayden would be here. She made a huge mistake challenging me on this. Caldwell made a mockery of her—again.”

  “I’ll repeat for the hundredth time, not sure how you deal with that bitch.”

  “I don’t. That’s why I pay Caldwell a shitload of money.”

  “Thanks for making it happen. It means a lot to us. Actually, thank you both—for everything.” I glance between my brothers and know there’s much more I should say, but words aren’t necessary. The expressions on their faces tell me they understand what I mean.

  “We’re happy for you, Mathis. All joking aside, she’s perfect for you.”