To Be With You

by Daphne Abbott

  “Gray just texted,” Hunter muttered. “Liv was having drinks with Pris and Pru, so he’s bringing the three of them in his truck.”

  “Shit.” I kicked at the gravel of the driveway. “I was hoping to avoid Pris and Pru.”

  “Don’t get along with them?” Hunt asked.

  “Yeah, no, I do. But those two will go to DEFCON one when they see this.”

  Hunt made a grunting noise, which I assumed was macho Army dude code, for “I see what you mean.” Hunt was cool, but he gave off a vibe that made me feel like I need to stand straighter and speak in short sentences when I was around him.

  “Any guess who’d want to trash my RV like this?” he asked after a few more minutes of quiet.

  “I have a couple of ideas of people that wouldn’t be too happy with Olivia. But now I realize this may be about you and not her. Do you have anyone that’s pissed off enough at you to do this?”

  Hunter laughed. “I’ve made some enemies in my time, but the only local that hates me is Lucy Mason. And this just isn’t Luce’s style.”

  I remembered when Jonah Mason first started bringing Gray and Hunter to Wisconsin while they were on leave. I had a vague memory of Lucy chasing after the three men. I opened my mouth to ask how a childhood crush had turned into hate—because I was the nosiest person on the planet—but the sound of tires on gravel and headlights shining in the distance stopped me.

  “That’ll be Gray,” Hunt said and started moving toward the massive black truck that was just rolling up.

  Before Gray stopped completely, the passenger side door popped opened, and Olivia jumped down.

  “Jesus, she’s gonna break her neck,” Hunter said.

  I silently agreed with him, then started toward Liv, intent on intercepting her if she tried something stupid. Like running into a crime scene.

  “Olivia,” I called as I increased my speed. “Stop!”

  The damn woman barely spared me a glance. “My RV!” she cried as she ran up to the mess that was the fifth wheel.

  I didn’t think it was wise to remind her it was Hunter’s RV. Instead, I caught her around the middle before she could get inside and disturb Sadie and Liam. “Shhh,” I whispered as she struggled against my hold. “Your brother and Sadie are in there.”

  “Let me go, Callum. That’s my stuff tossed all over the ground.” She pulled at my hands and wiggled in my arms, but I held fast. “Please. I want to see.”

  “Not yet,” I said as I held fast. “They just got here ten minutes before you. Let them do their job before you go in.”

  “Callum!” Priscilla called as she ran up with Pru close on her heels. “What’s going on here?”

  Since Liv appeared to have calmed down, I let go of my hold around her waist and shifted to stand next to her so I could talk to her family. “Someone tossed the RV. Liam and Sadie are looking for clues now.”

  Pru made a growl that sounded more macho than the scary Army dudes behind us. “Fucking kids.”

  “I’m not sure it was kids. They tore the door off the hinges, but there’s no graffiti,” I replied. I’d spent a lot of time working on job sites and abandoned houses. I’d seen the mess bored kids made, and the destruction of the RV didn’t feel like something teenagers had done.

  Priscilla covered one of the many necklaces around her neck with a hand and started muttering something to herself. I wasn’t spiritual, but Pricilla’s faith had been a nurturing presence for most of my life. It was calming to see her pray over her medallion as I’d seen her do many times growing up.

  “Liam,” Olivia perked up when her brother appeared in the doorway of the RV.

  Liam ducked his head and twisted so his massive shoulders fit through the narrow door. When we were younger, I used to think he looked like some ginger Viking, and that was before he’d spent ten years in the service.

  “Liv,” he said and gave his sister a brief one-armed hug before he nodded at Pris and Pru. “Welcome back.”

  “Find anything?” Hunter asked, as he and Gray joined our little group.

  “A few footprints and some tool marks,” Liam replied. “There were a few prints around the door that we’ll take, but without something to compare them to, they’re not very useful.”

  “Can I go in and look at the damage?” Hunter asked.

  “I’ll go with you,” Sadie said. “We’re still going to consider it a crime scene until we can get a photographer out here tomorrow morning to take some pictures.”

  “Liam, what about my stuff? Did they take anything?” Olivia asked.

  “Not that I can tell. Mostly it looks like just a lot of destruction and mess,” replied Liam. “We’ll let you grab some clothes and personal items before we secure the RV for the night.”

  I felt Olivia shudder, so I slipped a comforting arm around her middle. “You can stay with me and Fab in the red cabin. There’s an extra bedroom.”

  “She’ll stay with us,” said Pris. “She’ll be safer in town.”

  “We don’t even know if I’m the target,” argued Olivia. “Remember, this is Hunter’s RV, and he’s some commando badass. Maybe it’s one of his enemies.”

  I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped my throat. “Hunter claims the only person who hates him in the immediate area is Lucy.”

  “Well, that’s the truth,” muttered Liv. “But it’s definitely not her style to destroy something like this. She’s much more subtle than this. Not to mention, it’s my stuff thrown all over the place. She wouldn’t do that to me.”

  I had to agree with that assessment. “There are always the obvious suspects.”

  “The MacPhersons,” Pru said, echoing my thoughts.

  “Why would my ex or his family trash my stuff?”

  “Are you kidding?” Pris said, her voice high and tight in disbelief. “You publicly shamed Peter and tried to have him arrested for embezzlement.”

  “Yeah, but that was years ago. They haven’t bothered me since he moved,” Olivia said.

  “There was the incident at the auxiliary,” I said.

  If it was possible, Liam’s face turned even more stone-like. “What incident at the auxiliary?”

  “The granny fight,” Pris said with a chuckle. “Mary Beth and Ida had a showdown over Rose’s endowment, and Olivia broke it up.”

  “You didn’t mention a fight,” Liam said to his sister. “I told you to let me know if the money was causing you problems.”

  Olivia shrunk back against me a little and got a guilty look on her face. “It wasn’t a problem. There was a minor argument, and me, Ruby, and Lucy handled it.”

  “I heard Mary Beth made some veiled threats about making her life hell,” Pris said.

  Olivia gasped like someone had hit her in the gut and spun to point a finger at Pris. “You acted like you knew nothing about the fight earlier!”

  Priscilla’s smile was serene. “When are you going to learn I am all-knowing?”

  From the way she was watching Olivia and me, I realized Priscilla’s comment wasn’t just about the destruction of the RV. Something in the way she said it made a shiver of unease slide down my spine. No one wanted their former babysitter to know all their personal details.

  “The damage is repairable,” Hunter announced as he and Sadie rejoined the group. “There’s a dealership in Menominee. I’ll get it towed there when the sheriff’s department finishes taking pictures.”

  “You’ll come home with us until we can figure out something more permanent,” Pru said.

  Even before I felt Olivia stiffen at my side, I knew that solution wouldn’t be her preference. Pru and Pris were great people, but their tendency to hover could become stifling within hours. So, I pulled Liv in closer and whispered in her ear, “We have the extra loft bedroom at my cabin you can have, or you could share the master with me.”

&nbs
p; Olivia smiled as she leaned into me. “That sounds lovely. Plus, I’ll be closer to the house—Wait, the house!”

  “Shit, Liv, give me warning next time,” I ground and covered my ringing ear.

  “Sorry,” Olivia said, then she pulled from my arms and rushed to her brother, who was in a conversation with Gray a few feet away. “Did you check the house? There are still a lot of antiques and valuables in there.”

  Liam caught her by the shoulders and gave her a stern look. “No, we only checked the RV, but I’ll go check the house now. You stay here with everyone else.”

  “Liam, it’s my house!”

  “And someone had no issues trashing the RV you’re sleeping in. What makes you think that if they’re still in there, they won’t do something to you?” Liam’s voice sounded rough and angry with emotion, and I had to sympathize with the guy.

  I’d seen lights on at the mansion while I’d been working at my desk, and I couldn’t get Olivia out of my mind. Even though it had only been 48-hours since we’d taken our frustration out on each other in the bedroom, I’d found it impossible to do anything but imagine the way Olivia’s body felt against mine.

  I’d been in the car and on the way to the mansion before I was even conscious of the decision I’d made. The light’s I’d seen around the house must have been the vandals because, by the time I pulled into the drive, the area was pitch black, and the RV looked like a bomb had gone off.

  Ice had flooded my veins, and I’d slammed the car into park so fast I may have damaged the transmission. But my fear for Olivia’s life took importance over everything. Recklessly, I’d run into the RV—screaming her name—all while praying to any god that would hear me.

  Even now that it was clear the vandalism was contained to the RV and a few of her personal items, I still felt the fear and anger thrumming through me. “Let’s wait here until he clears the building,” I said, as I walked up to Liv and her brother.

  “It’s my house,” Olivia insisted.

  “And he’s the giant Viking with the gun. Let him go first and make sure no one’s waiting in there to kill you.” I couldn’t keep the fear and frustration out of my voice. Honestly, what did she think she was going to do? Talk an assailant into submission?

  Olivia’s glare was quick and hard, but she remained standing next to me. “It’s probably just kids.”

  “Maybe,” Gray agreed. “There’s a lot of bored kids around here, and some tourists have trickled in early for summer.”

  “But, why attack the RV and not the house?” Priscilla asked, as she and Pru joined us. “From what I can see, they have not touched the house at all.”

  “I think we’ll have more answers in the morning,” I said as I watched the light of Liam’s flashlight move through the mansion. “We will get nothing resolved by wildly speculating when we can’t see half of the crime scene because of the dark.”

  “Callum’s right,” Olivia said. “Why don’t you all go home and get some rest. I promise to let you know if anything comes up.”

  In the dim glow cast by the car headlights, I could see the two older women wanted to argue with Olivia. But in the end, both Pru and Pris nodded and agreed that the morning would be soon enough to discuss anything more.

  As I watched the others say goodnight, my brain kept going back to the lights I’d seen from my loft window. Now that I thought about it, I realized the lights had been all over the grounds of the mansion, not just at the top of the hill closest to the front drive. Had the vandals walked around the entire property before deciding on the RV? Or was there a more nefarious answer?

  I’d have to wait for the answers. In the meantime, I could do my best to make sure Olivia remained safe.

  * * *

  By the time we got back to my rental cabin, it was well after midnight. Olivia had remained quiet ever since Liam had returned from his search of the house to assure us nothing was out of place. He agreed that the lights I’d seen around the house were likely the vandals looking for their target and that property damage and not theft was the primary motive. We’d know more in the morning when the police could do a more thorough search, but I was satisfied that Olivia would remain safe for the time being.

  “Let’s get you inside,” I said to break the quiet of the car. We’d been sitting silently in the drive for several minutes without moving.

  “Do you think this is about me?”

  Her question startled me, but I tried to answer honestly. “I think there are things in your life that may entice people to act like this. But remember, they only touched the RV, and Hunter is not without his own enemies.”

  “It doesn’t feel like this was about Hunter when it was my underwear slashed and thrown all over the ground.”

  The destruction of her clothes, especially her underwear, had creeped me out too, but I’d been steadfastly avoiding the topic to keep Olivia calm. Apparently, she’d been worrying over the same thing I had.

  No one in their right mind would destroy a woman’s underwear in such a fashion. No one that was just looking to break some windows would go to the extra effort of breaking into a secure vehicle when other less secured buildings were nearby.

  “I think it must be Peter,” she whispered. “He could have finally snapped and came after me for turning him in to the cops.”

  “It’s possible.” I grabbed her hand and laced my fingers through hers. “Liam knows your history. Either he or Sadie will check it out.”

  She squeezed my fingers and finally looked me in the eye. “You’re right. There’s nothing more to do tonight.”

  “Come on. You can take the master, and I’ll sleep in the loft.” I turned to open my door, but Olivia pulled me back.

  “What makes you think I want that?” I couldn’t see her face in the dim light that was filtering in from the front porch, but her voice didn’t sound so scared anymore.

  “It’s been a long day and a worse night. I just figured you’d want to get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Exactly,” she replied and leaned in so close her mouth was barely a breath away from mine. “I always sleep better after an orgasm. I figure either you can give me one, or you can watch while I do it myself.”

  Blood rushed from my brain to my dick. Would I ever get used to the frank way she approached sex? It was unlike any other woman I’d been with, and it was both intimidating and arousing.

  “O-Okay,” I agreed, as soon as my brain could function enough to form words.

  Before I could move to open the door, she wrapped a fist in my shirt and pulled me in for a bruising kiss. Once again, I could feel frustration radiating off her as she slanted her mouth over mine. Women in control were a major turn on for me, so I let Olivia take the lead and control the kiss, all while reminding myself that feelings were not welcome in this relationship.

  This fling was going to test more than my sexual prowess. Aside from losing my virginity to Olivia on graduation night, I’d never had sex outside of a committed relationship. I’d never had the fortitude to engage in sex and not let my brain and heart connect to the person I was with.

  Olivia’s tongue tangled with mine and scattered my thoughts as her free hand threaded through my hair and tugged at the curls. The tiny pinprick of pain blended with the pleasure of the kiss, made my dick throb and grow. It was so hard I was sure the zipper of my slacks would leave an imprint on my skin.

  In return, I ran my fingers over her toned arms and shoulders and tunneled my hands through the mass of silky hair at the back of her head. Because I was curious, I tugged at her hair in much the same way she’d tugged mine, and I got an answering groan of appreciation.

  The lady may be receptive to being controlled as well as holding the power. Interesting. I’d file that tidbit away for now and explore it when she wasn’t reeling from another frustrating day.

  Just as I was contemplating sex
in the front seat of the SUV, Olivia tore her mouth from mine and said, “Inside. Now.”

  Chapter 16

  Olivia

  Luck was on our side for once that night. The house was dark, and the main floor was empty when we finally made our way inside. Callum held a finger over his lips. Something about that signal always had the opposite effect on me, and I immediately giggled.

  “Quiet,” he whispered and tugged me toward the back of the cabin and the master suite that overlooked the lake.

  I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the laughter, but it was beyond my ability to keep silent. When we passed the guest room, where I assumed Fabián slept, I let out a snort that sounded like a pug had entered the hall.

  “For fuck’s sake,” Callum said, and let out a sigh.

  I tried to apologize, but I just kept giggling and snorting and giggling some more. Callum just cursed under his breath and tugged me into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

  Blackness engulfed us. The only light came from the moon shining through the windows, casting pale beams of light across the bed. I didn’t have time to get my bearings, though, because Callum spun around and backed me up against the door without ever putting a hand on me. The change in his demeanor was thrilling, and I could feel my pussy throb in anticipation.

  “Do you like being in control too much to listen to simple instructions?” His voice was as dark as midnight, and buttery soft like velvet. I could feel his breath on my skin, and it sent ripples of awareness through me.

  I struggled to think of something to say, but Callum’s darker mood was hypnotizing me. I felt rather than saw him place his hand on either side of my head, effectively pinning me to my spot. My heart kicked up a beat in anticipation of his next move.

  “Can you?”

  His second question caught me off guard. “Can I what?”

  “Can you give up control?”

  My hammering heart stuttered, and for a second, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I had my preferences in the bedroom, and I didn’t mind handing over control when I felt like it. But it’d been years since a man demanded it from me. And for the first time, I found I was looking forward to letting someone else take over.