A Second Past Midnight (The Sentinels)

by Melinda Hunter

  “Your man can wait outside,” said one of the men that stood by the windows. Arrigo remained statuesque to the right of the door until Hess turned around and tipped his head toward the door.

  He nodded toward Hess and left the room. This didn’t bother him one bit. In fact, as the door closed behind him, Arrigo smiled. He could call Sana and make sure that she was all right. The thought of hearing her voice left him semi-hard so it was a good thing that he had on his mid-length leather coat.

  Arrigo took the nearest elevator, went to the main floor, and exited the building. He didn’t want to risk anyone overhearing his conversation with Sana.

  Dialing her cell phone, he waited. It rang and rang only to be answered by the automated system stating that the user hadn’t set up their voicemail box.

  Maybe she’s still sleeping or maybe she’s in the shower. Or maybe she left. Arrigo knew he had no right to feel so impatient, but he wanted to know if she was still there.

  Fowler. He could call the kid and have him stop by to check on Sana. So, he dialed Fowler’s number. No answer.

  “Where is that moron?” he mumbled to himself. He had told Fowler numerous times to keep his phone on so that he could reach him at a moment’s notice. Arrigo looked at the time and guessed that Fowler might still be asleep.

  “I swear I’m going to kick that boy’s ass.” Arrigo practically spat the words out. Fowler wasn’t really a boy, but even at the age of twenty-two, Arrigo considered him a child. Especially since he acted like one. He hadn’t quite figured out that the real world required him to be up before noon let alone be punctual.

  Sucking in a deep breath, he tried to remind himself of the job at hand. As Arrigo exhaled, he couldn’t help but think of Sana though. Every day that he had been away from her had been pure torture. Even though there probably wasn’t anything that could have been changed, Arrigo blamed himself for the pain that Sana had endured when the baby died and felt he deserved her rejection.

  His only solace in the entire thing had been that Sana had lived and he hoped that she would find happiness.

  Arrigo turned to go back inside the building when his phone rang.

  “Fowler, it’s about damn time you got out of bed,” Arrigo stated.

  “Arrigo. This guy says he knows you.” Only the voice wasn’t Fowler, it was Sana.

  Arrigo couldn’t help but laugh. He instantly pictured Sana with some sort of a death grip on Fowler or even having him pinned against the wall.

  “Sana? Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Of course, but this guy won’t be. He came barging in like he owned the place and about got his neck broke.”

  Stifling his laugh, Arrigo explained who Fowler was. Sana had in fact caught Fowler in the kitchen and overpowered him.

  “If he hasn’t passed out from fear I need to talk to him,” Arrigo asked.

  “Sure I need to get some clothes on anyway,” Sana replied.

  “Okay, I’ll see you later. Wait . . . what?” Arrigo had been just a bit slow to catch what she said, but surely she hadn’t been standing in front of Fowler naked during their entire conversation. Arrigo’s blood boiled. He didn’t particularly like the idea of anyone looking at Sana naked. She belonged to him.

  “Boss, I didn’t know you had a woman here. I—” Arrigo cut him off.

  “Marcus Fowler, if you so much as looked at her I will rip out your eyeballs and cook them for dinner!” Arrigo growled into the phone.

  “She was only half naked so keep your panties out of a wad,” Fowler snapped.

  “What the hell do you mean half naked? I swear boy you better clarify that statement right now.” Arrigo was losing his patience with Marcus. He had never wanted to leave his post so bad in his life even if it was just to beat the tar out of his assistant.

  “She was wearing a shirt and underwear so give me an effing break man! Besides, she scared me so bad that I’ll probably never be able to get a boner again. Who the hell is she anyway?” Marcus asked.

  Arrigo let out a sigh. He wouldn’t have to dismember Marcus after all.

  “She’s your top priority! Whatever she wants, you get her and you make damn sure that you keep the doors locked and the alarms on. If you so much as irritate Sana I will beat you senseless.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I know the whole routine. If I piss you off you threaten to kill me. You really should get some new material though because as many times as you’ve threatened me I’m beginning to think that you’re bluffing. Besides I’m more afraid of her than you. You’ve never pointed a gun at my head before.”

  Arrigo smiled at that visual. He realized that Marcus was probably right and that Sana would be fine.

  “I’ll be back in about six hours.” Arrigo ended his call and shoved the phone back into his pocket. The day couldn’t end quickly enough, but at least he knew Sana was safe.

  ****

  “I’m Sana.” She extended her arm to shake her visitors hand after she had dressed and returned to the kitchen.

  “Marcus Fowler.”

  “So how do you know Arrigo and what do you do for him?” Sana opened the refrigerator as she waited for his response.

  “Well, I met Arri a little over a year ago at Tecktar. He basically saved my life. I had some money problems for my last year of college and those psychos had me convinced that I was doing mankind a service by letting them use me as a test subject. The problem is that once they get their claws into you, you don’t get away. Arri got me out of there by faking my death.” Marcus sounded quite calm for someone telling how he almost died.

  Sana immediately felt a chill go through her. She despised that company and everything that they stood for. She had made it a personal mission to do as much as she could to bring them down. They were killing people by using them as guinea pigs for their biological experiments. It made her blood boil at the thought of what went on inside those buildings.

  More importantly though, Arrigo had saved this boy from Tecktar and had obviously given him a job. Her big, tough man had the softest heart. Something that Marcus said though had caught her attention.

  “Arri?” She asked.

  “Oh, that’s what I call the big lummox. He hates it too!” Marcus grinned from ear to ear with that statement and Sana couldn’t refrain from laughing. She’d never called Arrigo anything except his given name, but she sort of liked the sound of Arri.

  “So, what do you do for him?”

  “I do whatever he needs me to do. I cook, clean, do his laundry even though I really don’t like that part. No offense but I feel like I’m a woman. He just comes and goes as he pleases without a thank you or anything.” Marcus definitely sounded like a whiny woman to Sana and she just glared at him. “I’m not sure what happened to him before I met him but it must have been bad, because he won’t talk about it. I’m guessing there was a woman involved though.”

  Sana swallowed hard. She knew she had been the source of his troubles and doubted there would ever be any way that she could make things right with Arrigo, but she wanted to try. With that thought, she wanted to get back to her current problem. Hunger.

  “What groceries did you bring? I’m starving.” Sana nodded toward the two paper sacks that Marcus had brought in with him.

  “Oh, well I thought I would be eating alone for lunch and was planning on making my famous Ramen Noodle Soup. I can make something else though.”

  Sana watched him empty the grocery bags and put everything away.

  “I would love a salad for lunch if you have the makings,” Sana said. Marcus nodded.

  “Good, now what about dinner?” Surely Arrigo wasn’t eating packaged food for every meal.

  “Ah! For dinner, we will be having filet mignon with grilled asparagus. I learned very quickly that Arri has to have a good meal or he acts like a starving bear.”

  Sana knew exactly what Marcus was talking about. Arrigo had frequently waited too long to eat and could be quite the grouchy bastard. The memories flooded her mind,
but her heart still ached at how she had ended their relationship. She realized that Marcus hadn’t asked any questions about her or how she knew Arrigo and she decided that might be a good thing. Arrigo might not want her blabbing about their past to Marcus.

  After lunch, Sana watched movies just to pass the time, while Marcus sat on the other couch doing who knows what on a laptop.

  There were two couches in the living room and Sana took advantage of her own space by lying down. Even though she anxiously awaited Arrigo’s return, she began to feel sleepy. The past twenty-four hours had been tiring and considering that she couldn’t remember when the last time was that she had slept through the night, she decided a nap might be a good idea.

  Chapter 9.

  Sana felt pressure against her stomach and didn’t recognize it. Then, as the pressure moved up her body, she realized someone was touching her. No one should be touching her, but the darkness surrounded her. With quick reflexes, she reached toward the hand that touched her. Grasping it firmly, she twisted it severely until she heard the person call out with pain.

  “Sana!”

  Startled, Sana jerked her eyes open to find Arrigo standing over her with a twisted look of pain on his face. Quickly, she looked down to realize that she had Arrigo’s hand twisted backward. If she hadn’t woken when she did, she probably would have broken his wrist.

  Releasing him, she jolted up from the couch and stepped away from him. The moment horrified her. Why hadn’t he stopped her? What if she had broken his wrist?

  “I’m sorry,” she muttered.

  Arrigo’s stance stiffened and she saw the expression on his face change. The pain vanished and in its place appeared a look of wanting. She had seen Arrigo look at her that way before, but it had been so long that she doubted her memory until he arched a brow. A devilish grin spread across his face and she knew it was indeed the same expression that she’d seen years before.

  Sana leapt at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Arrigo,” she whispered. Before he could respond though, Sana pressed her lips to his and wrapped her body around his in a way that let him know what she wanted.

  Arrigo pulled her tight against him so that she felt his erection and it only heightened the sensations her body felt.

  “If you take me to bed I’ll make up for almost breaking your wrist.” Sana wanted him, now.

  Arrigo laughed as she wrapped herself around him. Encasing her in his arms, she felt her body purr at his touch.

  “Please stab my eyes out now.” Sana looked back over her shoulder to find Marcus in the kitchen.

  “In a minute,” Sana replied coldly. She smiled, but didn’t move away from Arrigo at all. The way her body sizzled right then, she didn’t care if Marcus watched. Well, she really did, but Sana wasn’t moving just yet.

  Turning back to Arrigo, she slid her hands to his face and tiptoed up to him until their lips met. She loved how he kissed her. Her lips molded against his and his taste penetrated her senses. Sana couldn’t believe she had ever pushed Arrigo so far away that he had faked his death to disappear.

  Her damn brain was always working overtime and those gloomy thoughts cooled her mood considerably. Relaxing her stance, she slid away from Arrigo, but not enough that she couldn’t feel the heat of his body.

  “I want to take you to our room and make your toes curl,” Arrigo whispered in her ear.

  Sana looked up into his inviting eyes and felt a twinge in her stomach. Emotions and hormones were two different things, but they collided often in the female body and Sana hated that. Wanting Arrigo’s body was one thing, but then the sadness had taken control of her brain and it frustrated her. Then, for Arrigo to say something so erotic had aroused her to an extreme, but what caught her attention more than anything was how he had said “our room”.

  Swallowing hard, Sana smiled and slid her hands down his broad shoulders and let them drop. Arrigo grasped one hand before she lost contact with him.

  “We should eat first.” His statement sobered her for the time being.

  Arrigo led her to the kitchen where Marcus was preparing dinner. She watched as he cut up vegetables for a salad.

  “So, am I staying here tonight or do I need to find a hotel?” Marcus asked.

  “You’re fine as long as you stay in your room.” Arrigo smirked and looked down at Sana. He winked.

  “Oh good. I was hoping that I didn’t have to move out just yet.” Marcus smiled and Sana couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. She wondered how many hearts he had already broken and how many more there would be. But while he was handsome, no one had ever appealed to her like Arrigo did.

  Arrigo sat down on the stool at the kitchen island and pulled Sana toward him so that she stood between his legs.

  “You’re such a pain in the ass.” Arrigo sneered at Marcus.

  Sana stifled a laugh as she watched them banter. It lightened her heart to see Arrigo with a friend.

  “Sana, I don’t know how long you’ve known Arri, but you may want to reconsider your relationship with him unless you like being berated on a regular basis.”

  Sana knew that Marcus’ words might just bring him a death sentence and before she could interject Arrigo jolted from his chair.

  “You need to shut the fuck up!” Arrigo shouted. Surprisingly though, he turned and disappeared up the staircase, leaving Sana standing in the kitchen.

  She knew exactly which nerve Marcus had struck with Arrigo and she thought it might be time to enlighten him to Arrigo’s buttons. On the other hand, it could be entertaining to see Arrigo lose it with Marcus and possibly rip his head off. Watching Arrigo when he was pissed off had always entertained her unless of course he was mad at her.

  “What the hell did I do? I was just joking!”

  “You must not know Arrigo very well,” she said. He took family very seriously.

  “I don’t mean to be rude but what would you know of Arrigo?” Marcus asked.

  Sana laughed wickedly and it came from deep within her.

  The stories she could tell Marcus about Arrigo would make him laugh, cry, and run away in fear. Sana didn’t even know where to begin so she started with the simplest explanation first. Leaning over the counter, Sana spoke humorlessly.

  “We’ve been married for five years.” Sana decided that would be more than enough information for Marcus to dwell on at least until she had gone to convince Arrigo to come back down for dinner.

  His jaw dropped open and she saw the wheels spinning in Marcus’ expression and with that, she went after Arrigo up the stairs.

  Sana went to the bedroom to find Arrigo, but he wasn’t there. As she stepped back into the hallway, she saw the door to the other bedroom ajar. It was the room that Arrigo had slept in the night before.

  Pushing the door back, she paused at the sight. Arrigo sat on the mattress with his head buried in his hands.

  “I’ll take you home or wherever you want to go,” Arrigo muttered.

  Sana felt confused. Moments earlier Arrigo had referred to their bedroom and now he was kicking her out? It didn’t make sense. Then it hit her, he wasn’t offended by Marcus’ smart mouth as much as he was worried that she would leave. After all, they had been apart for two years and it was all her fault.

  “Arrigo?” she whispered.

  He looked up at her and she felt his eyes sear her as he stared back at her. “I can’t ever take it back.”

  Sana swallowed hard as she felt her eyes well up with tears. She knew he had blamed himself for the death of their daughter, but he wasn’t the one responsible for the small life that had lived inside her. Even at that, they had never mourned together.

  “It wasn’t your fault Arrigo. I shouldn’t—” Arrigo cut her off.

  “You! You weren’t the one that missed the appointment!” Arrigo shouted. Sana didn’t move. She knew they both needed this and it was long overdue.

  “Arrigo. Every day for the past two years I have blamed myself for our daughters’ death,
but it wasn’t anyone’s fault and it wouldn’t have mattered if you had been there or not. ” Sana reached over to grasp Arrigo’s arm. She needed to touch him, both for his comfort and for hers.

  Arrigo slid his large hand over hers and just stared at her. They sat there silently for several minutes. The guilt had torn both of them apart over the past two years and Sana knew it. She had blamed herself and saw that Arrigo did the same. It would do neither of them any good to dwell on the guilt or the past. Even though neither of them had blamed the other she felt an unspoken forgiveness pass between them.

  “I don’t want you to leave,” Arrigo said softly.

  Sana felt her heart pound with joy and apprehension. It would be as if they were starting their lives together all over again.

  “And I don’t want to leave.” Sana shook her head.

  Arrigo slid his arm around Sana and pulled her to his lap. Lifting her chin, he pressed his lips against hers. He needed her more now than he ever had before, and he wanted her to know it. With his lips forcing hers to yield against his, he savored her. With Sana’s arms around his neck, he lifted her as he stood up.

  Walking toward the door, Arrigo imagined her naked in their bed and his body hardened. That’s where he wanted her. Naked with her body wrapped around his.

  Sana’s hand trailed a path around his neck and over his jaw. When her fingers rested on his scar, he stiffened. He hated that scar, not that most people enjoyed marks that deformed their appearance. This one was a constant reminder though of how stupid he had been to think that he could take on four armed men alone.

  “What is it?” she asked. Sana looked into his eyes. All he could think about then was how awful that scar looked and he wondered how she could stand to look at him.

  “My face is wrecked.” Letting out a sigh, he waited for her to attempt to make him feel better even though it would probably be feigned. Arrigo let her slide to her feet so that she stood in front of him.

  “It’s just a scar Arrigo. I have several new ones too and besides that’s not necessarily my favorite part of you.” With a quick glance toward his groin, Sana smiled at him. Arrigo felt relief wash over him and knew once again that he she was the perfect match for him.