by Day Leclaire
“How’s Nonna?” Lucia interrupted.
“It’s bad.” He paused and a harsh sigh issued through the line. “They don’t think she’s going to make it.”
“Oh, no.” Lucia covered her mouth with her hand. “I have to see her.”
“No. If you come to the hospital, the police will take you in. Based on their questions, they think you’re involved somehow. If not directly complicit, then connected in some capacity.”
Ty shot her an “I told you so” look. “I’ll keep her away.”
“But what about Nonna?” Lucia protested.
“She’s unconscious. There’s nothing you can do for her. Listen, I have to go. Masterson?”
“Still here.”
“Keep her safe.”
“I will.”
The line went dead and Lucia shot to her feet, pacing from the couch to the bank of windows overlooking the bay. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“And yet, somehow you’re at the heart of it.” His phone rang and, after checking the caller ID, he answered. “Is it okay to put you on speaker, Juice?”
Apparently, he agreed because his deep voice filled the room an instant later. “I’ve arranged for a rental car to be dropped off first thing tomorrow. You’ll find a suitcase for Lucia with clothes and toiletries. I’ll send you the address for the Dantes’ lake house. It’s about a three-hour drive. The caretakers will open up the main house and have it fully stocked for you.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Wait. What’s going on?” Lucia interrupted.
“Sev has arranged for the two of you to get out of town until we have more information on who attacked the gala and why, other than the obvious,” Juice filled her in. “We want to get you to a safe location until we figure out more.”
“He . . . he doesn’t think I’m involved?” she asked unevenly
“Hell, no.” His instantaneous reply had her closing her eyes in relief. “None of us believes that for a minute.”
“Even though one of the gunmen recognized me?”
“Even though.”
She buried her face in her hands and turned away, her throat closing over. She vaguely heard Juice and Ty conversing, though she didn’t catch the actual words. Only one fact penetrated. Her family believed in her. Trusted her. Despite being unaware of her connection to them, they still supported her. Why in the world had she held herself at a distance from them? She was a fool. A total and utter fool.
Ty’s heavy hands settled on her shoulder, turning her into his comforting hold. She nestled against him, losing herself in his warm embrace. “It’s going to be okay, Lucia,” he murmured close to her ear. “The police will figure it out, I promise. They’ll catch whoever did this.”
“And Nonna?”
“We take it hour by hour, one day at a time.”
“She knew.” Lucia lifted her head, struggling to see Ty clearly through tear-blurred eyes. “She knew something was going to happen.”
He didn’t argue. He also didn’t agree. “We need to get some sleep.”
She released a short, harsh laugh. “Right. I’m sure that’ll happen.”
“We have an early start in the morning. We should rest while we can.”
“I can rest, but I doubt I’ll sleep.”
“You will after another shot of bourbon.” Releasing her, he crossed to a liquor cabinet and poured her a drink. Crossing to her side, he wrapped her hands around the crystal highball glass. “Drink.”
She wanted to protest. But one look at his expression had her lifting the glass to her lips and tossing back the smoky-sweet liquor. It scalded the back of her throat, but she swallowed it down, her eyes watering.
“What happened to the boy?” she asked.
“I rescued him.”
But not without incident. The hard brevity of his reply to her that much. “And the aunt?”
“In jail.”
“She’s why you don’t mix business and pleasure?”
He inclined his head. “She’s the reason.” Lucia could tell she wouldn’t get more out of him about it. Sure enough, he changed the subject. “Would you be more comfortable sleeping in my robe or a T-shirt?”
The question caught her off guard and she took another gulp of bourbon, the alcohol a harsh burn from tongue to belly. “T-shirt.” The word escaped in a strangled gasp and she tried again. “T-shirt.”
“Alone or with company?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Company.”
He inclined his head in the direction of the bedroom. “Let’s go.”
It definitely felt like déjà vu all over again. She led the way, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room while he removed a shirt from his dresser and tossed it in her direction. “You already know where I keep the spare toiletries.”
She escaped into the bathroom, only then realizing she’d left her designer gown in a heap on the tile floor. She picked it up and returned to the bedroom to hang it up, stumbling to a halt. Ty had stripped off his tux and stood with his back to her.
He was completely naked. Again.
Chapter Six
Her sharp inhalation alerted him to her return and he spun around to face her. Her gaze dipped downward, freezing on his erection. What to do, what to do? Not that it took a huge amount of thought. She either turned from him or she surrendered to him.
Without a word, she allowed the gown she held to tumble to the floor once again and untied her robe. Snatching a swift breath, she let it slide off her shoulders, waiting to see if he’d reject her again.
He didn’t.
In two swift strides, he reached her side and swept her into his arms. He carried her to the bed and they sank to the mattress, entwined in a desperate jumble of arms and legs. She needed this. Right now, she needed to have life reaffirmed, to have just one moment out of time to feel love and be loved.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Positive.” He fought to find a condom and put it on.
“Even though I’m your assignment and you don’t mix work and pleasure?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Even though. Apparently, I haven’t learned a damn thing from my past.”
She decided not to go there. “And even though you think I’m bat-shit crazy to believe in The Inferno?”
His lips twitched into a slow grin. “Even though.”
He lowered his head to take her mouth in a deep, thorough kiss. In one swift move he joined them, surging inward with a single aggressive thrust. Then he froze, allowing them both to savor the moment. He lifted her arms above her head and interlocked her fingers with his, palm against palm.
The burn of The Inferno flooded through her, linking them as inexorably as Ty had linked their bodies. It burrowed deep, a wildfire of scorching need. “Why doesn’t your palm burn, too?” The words escaped in a groaning sigh.
“Every part of me burns.” He lowered his head to kiss the sensitive curve where neck joined shoulder. “You’re all around me,” he whispered. “Like you’re part of me.”
“It’s The Inferno. There’s a volcano inside me, building toward an explosion.” She searched his expression. “Don’t you feel it?”
“I feel you. I feel my reaction to you. A need that’s clawing me apart. It’s like—”
“I have to have you.”
“Right now.” The words escaped, muffled against her, in a whispered confession. “Resistance is futile?” he quipped.
“Totally futile.” She slid her legs upward and wrapped them around his waist. Lifting her hips against his, she groaned. “And totally unnecessary.”
Slowly, he rocked to a familiar rhythm, waiting until she caught the beat, then moved faster. Then faster, still. What had started slow and gentle, just a low, relentless burn, became fast and hard and desperate, sending sizzling flames shooting higher and higher. They reached the peak only seconds apart, the moment unlike any she’d ever experienced before. They hovered there in that incendiary moment, unable to move
or breathe or speak. Just hang, gripped by ecstasy.
Then they tumbled, falling one against the other, landing in soft satisfaction. And there they drifted until sleep claimed them, wrapped tight together, his hold protective and loving, hers a loving surrender.
“Come on, sleepy head. Time to hit the road.” Ty gave Lucia’s bare backside a gentle smack that turned into a tender caress.
She groaned. “Too early.”
“I know it’s early, but we need to move. I’d rather get out of here before the police arrive.” He didn’t bother to mention the gunmen. No point in starting the day in a panic. “I have breakfast ready for you. You have ten minutes to eat.”
Lucia sat up and blinked sleepily. The sheet dropped to her waist and it took all his self-control not to leap back in bed with her and greet the day with an instant replay of the previous night. She definitely made it challenging. He’d never seen anyone more beautiful.
She sat in a swirling sea of fine, brown cotton sheets, her hair tumbling over her shoulders to pool around her hips. Her eyes, intensely blue in that moment, blinked sleepily, sunlight from the windows cutting across them and turning them luminous. Her lips were full and pouty from his kisses, a perfect match for her breasts, which were also full and pouty from his kisses.
She shoved a tangle of curls back from her face. “What’s the latest on Nonna?”
He shook his head, hating to give her the bad news. “No change. Still critical. On the plus side, she made it through the night. That’s got to count for something.”
She nodded, biting her lip for a moment before asking, “Did Juice drop off the car already?”
“And clothes. I left jeans, a shirt, and underwear for you to change into on top of the dresser.”
She took that in stride. “Oh, thanks.” Her head tilted to one side. “Any chance I have time for another shower?”
She didn’t pout or beg or act coy like some women. Just asked a simple question. He’d even bet if he refused, she’d take that in stride, too, which made him only too happy to grant her request. “A quick one.”
She took him at his word, scrambling from the bed and making a beeline for the bathroom, giving him a glorious view of a long, tumble of curls caressing the tops of her swaying hips, not to mention, a pert, rounded bottom. Nope, he decided. No time for that.
With a groan of regret, he yanked a travel case from his closet and made short work of filling it with everything he’d need for the next few days. At the last minute, he opened his top dresser drawer and removed the ring that had belonged to his mother, which he kept on a simple gold chain. Even though it brought unspeakable pain, it was all he had left of her. Blanking his memories of their final days together, he slipped the chain over his head and tucked it beneath his shirt.
Fifteen minutes later, they were ready to go. Ty locked up and set the alarm, and the two hastened to a waiting four-wheel drive Jeep Wrangler. Juice had chosen the high-end package that could climb Mt. Everest while cooking breakfast and surfing the internet. Impressive. Seriously impressive.
The Saturday traffic didn’t delay them much and they managed to get out of the city with reasonable ease. The Wrangler’s GPS gave them the quickest route to the Dantes’ compound. About halfway through the drive, Lucia nodded off.
He woke her an hour and a half later by gently rubbing her shoulders. “We’re here.”
She sat up in one abrupt motion, inhaling sharply, taking a second to orient herself. Once she had, she looked around, blinking. “Oh, wow.”
His thoughts, exactly. He drove down the gravel drive to a parking area between a large storage building and equally large workshop. The two structures stood adjacent to a huge sprawling rough-hewn log building that boasted a pair of stone chimneys. They’d built it right on the lake’s edge, two wings angling off from the main section and cantilevering over the water.
Further along the curve of the lake stood a pier and boathouse. In the opposite direction, he noticed a wide sweep of white sand beach that had to have been trucked in since it wasn’t native to the area. Tucked into the nearby woods, he spotted individual cabins, though he supposed “cabin” was a bit of a misnomer for the small, elegant houses. No doubt couples who preferred more privacy used those instead of the main residence. He parked with his tail to the buildings, nose toward the road, so they could depart quickly, if necessary.
Exiting the vehicle, Ty popped the trunk and snagged their two bags. “Juice said to go in the main house. We can have any room we want.” He spared her a brief glance. “Or rooms.”
“Room,” she stated unequivocally.
“Fine. Room.”
An unsettling need swept through him, the intensity of his desire catching him off guard. He’d never felt this way about a woman before. Never had the connection burrow so deep. Never experienced the overwhelming insistence he keep her close, keep her safe, protect her.
She’s the one.
Ignoring the persistent voice, Ty took the lead, entering the silent lake house. “Stay here while I check the place out.”
“Forget that. I’m coming with you.”
He didn’t argue. Instead, he put her behind him as he made a sweep of room after room. The two wings, combined, featured at least a half dozen bedrooms and even more bathrooms, while the main section boasted a massive great room, with thirty-foot ceilings and a huge fireplace. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the lake. Adjacent to the great room they discovered a gourmet kitchen with a sunroom for casual dining that also faced the lake. A more formal dining area had views of the woods, as did the den and game room. Above the kitchen, he even found a private theater.
“Remind me to find my own diamond mine,” Ty muttered.
“You and me, both. This place is huge. We don’t need all of this for just the two of us. I wonder why they didn’t just offer us one of the cabins in the woods.”
“If . . . and it’s a big unlikely if, the men who attacked the gala found us here, there are plenty of rooms where we can remain barricaded until help arrives.”
“It has safe rooms?”
He shrugged. “Not exactly. Just rooms next to impossible to penetrate without some serious firepower.”
She shifted closer to him, the unconscious move making him smile. “No offense, but it looked like the gunmen who attacked the gala had serious firepower.”
He leaned in, flicking a strand of hair behind her ear. It clung to him for a brief moment and refused to let go, anchoring them together. “They’d need seriouser firepower.”
She grinned. “You’re familiar with that sort of seriouser firepower?”
“From my military days, yes,” he admitted reluctantly.
“Got it. Is that how you know Juice?”
“We bumped up against each other a time or two.”
She blew out a sigh. “Juice doesn’t talk about his military days. I gather you don’t, either?”
“I’d rather not.”
“Okay.” Her instant acceptance came as a huge relief. She glanced around the theater room. “So, what do we do now?”
He gave it some thought. “Let’s choose a bedroom, preferably one that has more than one egress, as well as a safe area. I want to go through the house more carefully with you and determine exit strategies and, if those are blocked, hiding places.”
Her face paled and he saw a hint of trepidation darken her eyes. “You’re making me nervous.”
He pulled her tight, dropping a reassuring kiss on top of her head. “I’m sorry. I wish we could simply relax and enjoy our time here. But we have to put safety first. Fortunately, the Dantes installed an excellent security system.”
She pulled back to gaze up at him, her brow knit in concern. “Do you still have the jewelry I wore last night?”
“No. I passed everything off to Juice when he brought the car.”
“Well, that’s one problem we don’t have to worry about.” She gestured toward the stairway leading to the kitchen. “Why don’t
we get your escape scenarios out of the way?”
It didn’t take long. He recommended various places she could hide, as well as designated safe spots that would allow her to barricade herself in. Then they went outside and set up meeting areas in the unlikely event they became separated.
He could see her resistance to his instructions. “Lucia, this is just a precaution. I was very careful to make sure we weren’t followed on the drive here. No one other than Sev and Juice know we’re using the lake house.” He spared a glance toward the sky. “And if I’m not mistaken, we’re about to get a snowstorm. Chances are, the roads leading here will be closed. My hope is that the police will have the men who did this in custody within the next few days. Not only will that absolve you of any involvement, but we’ll figure out how you know the man who shot your brother and Nonna.”
As though to prove his point, the first few snowflakes sputtered free from the laden sky. He was pleased to see his words had the intended affect. The strain eased from her face and she even managed a smile. He took her hand in his and pulled her against him. She snuggled in with a sigh.
“I wish I could identify the man. It would make everything so much easier.”
“It would, but try not to stress about it.” Unable to help himself, he snatched a swift kiss. “Maybe something will occur to you over the next day or two.”
They returned to the main house and he led the way to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he found lunch already prepared. He removed the platter of wrapped sandwiches and carried them to the sunroom. Outside the windows, snow continued to fall, a beautiful sight against the view of the lake and surrounding woods. Lucia joined him, carrying a pitcher of lemonade and two glasses.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Lemonade?”
“I know, I know. But someone made it for us and it seems rude not to drink it. I think it’s freshly squeezed.”
A brief recollection touched him, of fixing a pitcher of lemonade for his mother because he knew she loved it. He grimaced. “I haven’t had lemonade since I was a kid.”
“Don’t you like it?” She gestured toward his face. “You gave me a look. One of those, oh-crap looks.”
