by Moore,Mary B
She knows I’m a virgin, he doesn’t and I don’t plan on telling him. I just love teasing him.
“I don’t want to hear that. I’ll tell Pops if you don’t stop. I swear to God I’m going to be in jail for murder.”
“If you don’t want to hear about things like that then I suggest you shouldn’t ease drop.” I end up laughing at the look of disgusted on his face as he leads me to the conference room.
“It isn’t ease dropping if what was spoken wasn’t practically being yelled out.” He growls out at me.
“So let’s drop this conversation and you tell me what is so important that you couldn’t wait until I was finished with work,” he says as he sits.
A feeling of terror hits me as I remember why I’m here. Handing him the note, I take a seat as well. Neil and I are very close. He isn’t going to take this threat well. I’m scared of what he’s going to do or say.
Looking at him, watching him read the note, I see the change come over his face immediately. He looks up at me and I am struck with what I see. His blue eyes that have a hint of green in them are now full on green with the fury tightening his jaw and his nostrils flare as he takes in a harsh breath. He picks up the phone off the conference room table and barks three words into the receiver, “Conference room. Now!”
DANTE
I stare down at the receiver in confusion before I hang it up in the cradle. Lucky isn’t one to let his temper get the best of him. There’s only been a handful of times I’ve seen this side of him. The only thing that can get him this worked up is when his family or one of the guys is being harmed or when we have a sensitive case we are working on. A sense of dread washes over me as I start to get up.
As I turn towards the door, the overhead light gleams off the photos lining my bookcase. My eyes immediately go to the one picture I can’t seem to avoid.
Lens beautiful smile makes me catch my breath. She is the one woman that I can’t get out of my head. I’m looking forward to seeing her again at the party this weekend.
Over the years, I got letters and care packages from her. I wrote her back and sent her things I bought from places all over the world. She never sent a picture and when she came to visit Lucky, I would make myself scarce because I knew that if I were to see her, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from making her mine. I didn’t want her to be waiting back home not knowing if I was ever coming back. So when they would skype, I would go into the other room. I also couldn’t chance Lucky knowing that I had fallen for his kid sister.
It had hit me when she was sixteen. She was already such an amazing woman and she hadn’t even finished growing yet.
I knew I would run into Len since I made the choice to move to Kansas City with Lucky and start Seal Security. I wasn’t giving up the opportunity to work with my brothers and the guys from our troop even if that meant I couldn’t avoid her.
We aren’t your average private investigators’. We specialize in security systems, bodyguard work, missing persons, and stalking. We work a lot with the Kansas City Police Department.
We also have our own motorcycle club that we started. Not one of those one percenters which are considered an outlaw MC because they don’t follow the laws. We’re just a bunch of guys who love to ride bikes, but also, we help with charity drives, special victims, and help around the community. Well, we haven’t officially started, but that is what we are planning. Right now, we just ride together.
I head out of my office and down the hall to the conference room. I hear Sara talking on the phone to one of her girlfriends. It has to be Ashely because out of all the girls those two are the closest.
“Yes, we need to have a girls’ night asap. We need to find some men. I need to get laid and we need to get Len laid too. She needs to give up that v-card already.”
That stops me in my tracks. Holy Shit, she’s still a virgin. That’s going to make this weekend even harder when I see her. You would think it would make me want her less, only, it just makes me want to claim her all the harder.
Shaking my head, I walk into the conference room. The first thing I notice is the back of a small woman being comforted by Lucky.
He looks up at me and then leans down to whisper into her ear. The man is seriously hung up on Sara, so I know gesture isn’t sexual since that isn’t her in his arms. Shifting slightly, he looks at me again.
“We have a problem.”
He nods to a piece of paper on the table. As I’m picking it up, I shoot him an odd, sidelong glance.
“Squirt, go to the bathroom and wash up, okay? I’m going to fill Dante in on the situation. Come back when you’re better. Don’t worry about anything. We’ll never let anything happen to you.”
My head jerks up and I’m caught in a pair of blue eyes that literally takes my breath from my lungs. The same eyes that have haunted me every day since I was eighteen. She’s even more beautiful than the last time I saw her and my body takes notice. I’m harder than I have been in ages.
Her hair is a brighter blonde then I remember and lies over her shoulders. She’s in a light dress that hugs her curves just right. Her dress has a V neck that shows off her full breasts. Her legs are tan and long, and I want them wrapped around my waist as I pound into her. She’s wearing these fuck me shoes that I can almost feel pressing into my back. I can just assume that the rest of her body, which I can’t see because of her sitting down, is going to be just as hot. My gaze travels back up her body to her eyes where I can see the fear that is running deep in her soul.
“Hey Dante, long time no see. I wish it was under better circumstances,” Len says as she smiles at me sadly, then she looks back at Neil. “I’ll be back in a second.”
She stands up and walks towards the door. Damn, she has an ass that won’t stop. Seeing the sway of her body has the air knocking out of my lungs. There is no way I’m going to be able to stay away from her now. Lucky is going to kill me.
I look over at Lucky. He seems pissed and I pull myself together.
“What’s up, Lucky?”
“Look at the note. As I said, we have a problem.”
I look down at the note and what I see has me seeing red.
LEN,
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN FLIRT WITH ANY MAN THAT WALKS IN HERE, AFTER YOU HAVE GIVEN ME YOUR HEART? YOU BETTER THINK AGAIN. STOP FLIRTING WITH DR. SMITH, OR I’LL KILL HIM AND PUNISH YOU.
YOURS ALWAYS.
Oh, problem is not a big enough word to describe what I’m reading. What’s in my hand … calls the beast in me to come to the surface. All I see is blood, and it isn’t mine. Shit’s going to hit the fan, heads are going to roll, and someone is going to die a very slow and painful death. Nobody threatens my woman and lives.
Lucky must have seen the thirst for blood in my eyes, because he goes from rage, to shock, to something I’m unable to distinguish. I know what he’s seeing. I’ve been trying to hide it from him and the world for years. Now, it’s time to let them all know that little Len belongs to me. Damn the consequences, because no one can protect her better than the man who is willing to die or kill to keep her safe.
CHAPTER TWO
LEN
13 years earlier….
I hate that I’m starting a new school. I’m so mad that I had to leave my friends for a new area. Pops says it’s only until I graduate high school. I’m only starting seventh grade, but since Neil is starting high school, he needed to make this move now. He was doing it for Mom.
Since Pops is a real estate agent, he can work anywhere. With Mom just getting her PhD in therapy she was given the chance of a lifetime to work at Seattle Children’s Center in the autism department. Plus, he said he’d always wanted to live near the ocean.
So here we are, living in Oak Harbor, Washington, which is a small town on Whidbey Island. It’s pretty but I miss Kansas City, Missouri. I couldn’t wait until I go back to visit my grandparents.
My pops, Anthony, and Mom, Constance, both were born and raised in the good old heart of our
country, Missouri. They met in high school and said it was love at first sight. Mom was an only child and, right after her senior year, her parents were killed in a car crash. Mom and Dad married a few weeks after they were buried. They said they didn’t want to wait anymore. Shortly after they were married, they found out they were expecting my brother. A few years later, I was born.
I know the spelling of my name is weird for a girl, however, we are a huge football family. We love our Kansas City Chiefs. Pops always said he would name his kids after the Chiefs greats. So Neil is after Neil Smith and I’m after Len Dawson. It doesn’t hurt that our last name is Shields like Will Shields. We have season tickets to the Chiefs and to our amazing baseball team, the KC Royals. Yes, all of us are die hard KC fans. Now we are in Seahawk country. What was Pops thinking?
Stepping out of the shower I decided I was going to wear my Chiefs jersey. I look in the mirror and still see nothing special. My mom keeps saying that I’m beautiful, but I don’t see what she sees. She’s stunning. She is five foot and four inches, has blonde hair, blue eyes, and fit. My Pops is very handsome too for his age. He is tall at six foot three inches has dark brown hair, green eyes that has a hint of blue in them and very fit. Neil is a spitting image of my Pops, which explains why he has girls hanging on him all the time. He hasn’t hit the height like our pops, but football has made him very fit. Me, I’m the awkward one of the bunch. I have blonde hair that goes to the middle of my back, bright blue eyes that are framed by my glasses, braces that I hate, and set of freckles on my tan skin. I’m average and the shortest of my family at five foot one.
I’m called a nerd because I love learning. I’m planning on being a doctor. I’ll be attending UMKC, University of Missouri – Kansas City, once I graduate. My plan is to graduate high school early so I can get my doctor degree as soon as possible. Neil is smart, too, but he seems more interested in football and women. I swear my brother is a walking, talking hormone. It’s disgusting.
The knock at the door shakes me out of my thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“Are you almost done, squirt? I need to get ready so I can not only show just how sexy I am being new and all, but also as the new quarterback,” Neil yells though the door.
“You’re so sick, Neil. I don’t understand how we are related,” Tightening the towel around me I open the door in disgust.
“Ah there, there, care bear. It will be all right once you get done with puberty. Honestly, I don’t want to think about that and don’t want to really talk with you about puberty,” he tells me with a look of disgust on his face.
“Neil, I’m twelve and you’re fourteen. You’re also going through puberty as well and I’m not into boys. You know I’m focused on school,”
“Squirt, please don’t talk about boys with me. It isn’t something I ever want to think about,” He walks into the bathroom and shuts the door.
Shaking my head, I go into my room and get ready for the day ahead of me. Did I mention I hate starting a new school?
DANTE
“Dante, get your lazy butt up. Today is the first day of school,” Mom yells from downstairs.
Yawning, I slowly get up. Damn, I’m sore. Coach has been busting our asses during practices. I head off to the shower thinking about how different this year is going to be. Freshman in high school, running back on the varsity football team, and I have a new friend, Neil.
My grandpa was in the Navy, a combat veteran who died during his last mission, leaving behind my grandma and my dad. She didn’t want to move back to Italy so she stayed here. My dad met my mom in Italy while visiting his grandparents. It was love at first sight. They married that summer, moved back Oak Harbor Washington and started their family.
We have visited Italy a lot so we can look over the family winery that my parents owned. Even though we have money, my parents have always made my brothers and I work for everything we have.
My dad, Anthony, is an accountant for a big firm. My mom, Giovanna, is a stay at home mother. They have three sons, me and I’m fourteen. Carlos and Nicoli, the twins, are twelve. Mom said, after the twins were born, she was done, even if she wanted a little girl. They’re a handful and I agree, even though I’m very close to them.
We all have the tradition Italian look, dark skin, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes and the straight long nose. All of us kids ended up taking after Dad in height and build. He is around six foot four and solid muscle. The twins are five foot six and I am five foot eleven. Then there is Mom who is short compared to us at five foot one and she always grumbles that we haven’t even hit our growth spirt yet.
Mom hates that we are growing up so fast. She has commented a time or two to Dad that she doesn’t like the looks we are getting from girls already. Dad laughs and tells her that it is going to be alright, that it is part of growing up.
“Get out of the shower already, Dante. You’re not the only one starting school today!” Nicoli yells as he bangs on the bathroom door.
“What in the hell is wrong with your shower?” I yell, washing the soap off quickly.
“Carlos won’t get out. He is taking a shit and I don’t want to smell that while showering,”
“You’re screwed because I’m not getting out of the shower for that reason. Coach busted my ass this week. So I’m enjoying the hot water,” I said, amused by what Carlos is doing to Nicoli.
“You’re horrible, Dante!” he says, walking away.
I finish in the shower, get dressed and head out into the kitchen. I walk up to Mom and kiss her on the cheek as I grab a piece of bacon she’s making.
“Good Morning, Mom. I can’t stay for breakfast. I’m going to Neil’s house so we can walk to school together. His mom is making us breakfast,” I tell Mom then I walk away.
“Okay, sweetie. Give his mom my number. If you boys are going to friends then I think it’s time the families got together. Also, you need to watch your mouth when you talk with your brothers. I heard you and Nicoli. Trust me, I’ll be getting him next,” she says in the sternest, but not really meaning it voice. She knows we are our father’s sons. We get our cussing from him.
“Okay, I’ll be more careful. Neil is going to come home with me and then we’ll go to his house to go over plays. Love you, Mom,” I yell over my shoulder.
I make it to Neil’s a minute later. They live a block away. With him being the quarterback and me the running back and living this close, yeah, this year is going to be great. I ring his doorbell and wait. The door opens and I see this short blonde haired, blue eyed girl with braces smile at me.
“Can I help you?”
“You must be squirt. I’m Dante. Is Neil ready?” I ask her.
She’s pretty in an awkward way. I have a feeling she will be prettier when she gets older.
“Ugh, that name. I’ll kill him. My name is Len. L-E-N. Anyway, he isn’t done getting ready. Why don’t you come in and get some breakfast. He told us you were coming,” she says, motioning me into the house.
“Okay, show me the way,”
She growls again and shows me to the kitchen. “Mom, this is Dante,” She walks to the table and begins eating.
“Mrs. Shields, thanks for having me. My mom wants me to give you her number. She would like the families to get together and meet,”
“Please, call me Connie. Mrs. Shields is my mother in law. I’d love her number. Neil should be here soon. Sit and eat,” she says motioning to the empty seat.
I go to the table and make a plate and sit down across from the squirt. She looks up and rolls her eyes at me. “You think you have enough food there, RB?”
“RB?”
“Gosh, Running Back, and you’re supposed to play football?”
“Squirt, leave him alone,” Neil says walking in and patting me on the back. “Ignore her, we all do,” He walks over and gives his mom a kiss on the cheek. “Mom, we are going to Dante’s after school, then we’re coming here to go over plays. Is that okay?”
“Yep,
just don’t forget you’re supposed to walk your sister home today. I won’t be home until late due to traffic. Pops will be bringing dinner home,”
“Connie, I have brothers that can walk her home. They are in the same grade as she’s. If that’s okay with you. They’ll make sure she’s safe,” I tell her as I look at Len with a smile.
“I don’t need protecting! I’m a red belt in Tae Kwon Do. I can protect myself,” she says with a pinched face.
“Nonsense, Len. You will be walked home. Thank you for the offer, Dante. However, I would like to speak to your parents first and make sure they are ok with it as well. For today, do you boys mind walking her home first?”
“Are you ok with us walking her to my house first to introduce her to my parents and my brothers?” I ask Connie.
“Sure, that is fine with me. Just make sure she is back before her dad comes home. Thanks, boys. Okay, you guys have a great first day. I’m off to work.” Mrs. Shields walks around giving kisses on cheeks and leaves.
Looking over at Neil, I get a big smile on my face, “This year will be epic!” We bump fist and finish our breakfast.
LEN
Breathe, Len, just breathe. I look up again from my breakfast at the hottest guy I have ever laid eyes on. He is breathtaking. When I opened the door, I thought I was going to faint. I knew this had to be my brother’s new friend. Now, I have to walk to school and to his house before I can call my girls, back in Missouri.
“Ready, squirt?” my brother asks.
“Yeah, let’s go and get this over with,”
“It won’t be that bad, I promise you will meet some great people,” hot stuff says as he stands up and walks his plate over to the sink.
“Whatever,” I mumbled out quietly.
They walk me to school and say they’ll meet me by the tree in the front. I walk into my first class and take a seat. I feel someone poking me in the back.
“You know the Seahawks are better.”
