Protected by Shadows

by Aliyah Burke

  Her words were torn from her chest and he knew they were nothing but the truth. He hated what this was doing to her, but he wasn’t about to lose her. Careful, Cassano. Don’t forget what happened last time you let a woman in. As if he would ever forget. Could ever forget. But it wasn’t fair to Lexy to compare her to Alyssa.

  The women were like night and day. And it wasn’t fair to put them on the same shelf, no matter how much he didn’t trust most people. Lexy was her own force of nature and she didn’t mince her words or keep her opinion quiet. He liked that about her. Wasn’t all he liked, but it was one of the main things.

  He gave her a few more ticks of time before asking, “Are you ready?”

  “Ready? No. But let’s do it anyway. The sooner we go out there the sooner all these people will leave.”

  It wasn’t until dark that the last person left. If that was sooner, he didn’t want to experience later. Valentino watched Lexy put away dish after dish of food that had been dropped off, the lone kitchen light adding its glow to her as she moved. She’d sent Hector to another room and he’d cleaned up there.

  “Anything I can do?” he asked, stepping up beside her.

  “No, thank you.”

  He ignored her, having asked out of politeness, and began wiping down the counters and loading the dishwasher. The kitchen was clean when Hector arrived again.

  “Go home, sis,” he said.

  “You sure you’re going to be okay?”

  Hector’s smile was anything but happy. “Maybe someday. Not for a while yet. But I have work tomorrow so I need to try and get some sleep.”

  “I can stay here, fix you some breakfast in the morning?” Lexy stood next to her sibling.

  “Go home. I can handle that myself.” He kissed her forehead before hugging her tight. “Love you, Alexsa.”

  “You too, Hector.”

  Valentino exchanged nods with the man, but there was no hugging. Together, he and Lexy went outside to his truck. He held her door for her then got them on the road. She lived about twenty minutes from her brother and when they pulled into her drive, he slanted his gaze to see how she was doing. She showed nothing, gave nothing away. Just sat there and stared out of the windshield.

  He allowed the truck to idle when she jumped out and headed up the walk. Once he’d shut off the engine, he went after her. “Lexy,” he called.

  She paused at the top of the steps to the porch and looked over her shoulder at him.

  “Let me check it first.”

  She didn’t speak, merely stepped to the side and let him pass. He didn’t even have to remind her to stay by the door until all was clear, she just waited.

  “All clear,” he said with a nod to her.

  She went to her room and shut the door. Valentino was out of his league—he didn’t know how to handle this. Didn’t know how to make her feel better.

  “Val?”

  Immediately he went to the room and entered, alert for anything. She stood there in a pair of shorts and a bra as she tossed some things into a duffle bag. The slash of pale pink from her bra along her skin was a temptation he’d not been prepared for.

  “What?” His voice came out in a croak.

  “Pack a bag. We’re taking a short trip.”

  He frowned. “Where are we going?”

  “To Georgia.”

  He knew what she meant and shook his head. “No.”

  “I’m going. You want to protect me, I suggest you pack a bag and get moving. I’m leaving in twenty minutes.”

  “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “Yes I do. I’m driving down to Georgia for a bit.” She pulled on the shirt which had lingered by the bag. It was a well-worn Navy shirt. One she didn’t bother tucking, instead allowing it to hang over and nearly hide the shorts she wore.

  “You don’t know where you’re going.” His heart was pounding in his chest.

  “Yes I do. Have the address and a GPS. I’m good. You coming?”

  Anger mixed with pain hit him. “Why are you doing this, Lexy?”

  “Because you need it, whether or not you accept it. You need to do this. And I know—we both know—you’re not about to let me go off on my own. So it’s going to happen.”

  She met his gaze without blinking until he swore and left the room. It didn’t take him long to shove things into a bag of his own. All the while he could feel the tightness in his chest begin to return.

  Only this woman could get him to do this. And he knew whose ass he was going to kick once he got there. The one who’d sent her the address. Damn you, Beauregard.

  Zipping his bag shut, he shook his head. This was insane. He left his room and entered Lexy’s unannounced. She sat perched on the end of her bed, foot swinging in time to a beat only she heard.

  “We sleep first then leave in the morning.”

  “If you insist,” she agreed. “I’ll see you at six.”

  “Uh-uh. I don’t trust you not to leave. We share a bed, Lexy. I want your body pressed against mine so I know if you leave for any reason. I’ll be back in five minutes. Get ready.” Then he was gone.

  He got himself prepared for bed before walking back in her room, his bag in hand, which he dropped near the door. Lexy sat on her side of the bed and watched him from beneath hooded eyes.

  Oh shit! She wore a nightie this time. Lavender in color with a flower in the middle that spread out like nerves were doing in his gut. It barely hit her mid-thigh and the spaghetti straps were almost too much of a temptation to slide over her shoulders.

  He swallowed, hit the light switch for the main overhead one then walked toward her as she settled into her bed. His cock wasn’t making it easy on him and he had to do his best to ignore what it was demanding.

  “Good night, Val,” she said softly, lying back on her pillow.

  I should have told myself to get ready. How am I going to survive this? “Night.” He clicked off the light beside him and relished the darkness that hid the expression of need he knew was on his face. A minute later, he tensed when she curved her body into his. The silk of her teddy teased his bare chest and he swore a few more times, just for good measure.

  A night of hell.

  * * * *

  Lexy sat in the passenger seat, window down and with her feet upon the dashboard in his truck as they sped down the interstate. She’d told Tracy she needed a few days and bless her heart, the woman had taken up the slack with nothing but support.

  The night had been hell. Being against his hard body and not doing anything about it… But she’d survived. And was proud of that fact. Maybe it meant she was learning to control her physical reaction to this man. She slanted her gaze to take him in.

  Maybe I’m not learning how. The thought hit her as more desire pumped through her just from watching him now. Jeans and a T-shirt really shouldn’t look so good on a person. But with him, it was undeniably attractive.

  They’d woken up this morning, limbs entwined. For a few charged moments, she’d thought they were going to have sex. Who gathered themselves first, she couldn’t say but they’d broken apart and left the bed. Not that the temptation faded with the bed out of the equation. That wasn’t ever the deciding factor for their romps—in fact, beds were more of a rarity for them.

  She exhaled sharply and hung her arm out of the window, riding it on the air that flowed past. I wasn’t sure he’d go along with this at all. And the fact he had gone along had her wondering what he was thinking.

  “Have you heard anything about Ethan?” she asked, turning her head to look at him.

  “Nothing. No sign of him either.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.” He changed lanes and passed a motor home. She waved at the driver who waved back. She saw Valentino’s expression and knew he still wasn’t used to how things were down here with all the waving at people.

  “How’s Red taking it?”

  Val shook his head. “Your insistence to call her names is going to g
et you in trouble with her. She’s torn up, but she’s a professional and will continue to do her job.”

  “Like you.” How Anabelle Lee felt about her was the least of her worries.

  He nodded. “Like me.”

  Val had his arm on the window and looked relaxed. It was a deception, she knew it, but to anyone else, it would appear as if they were just taking a drive through Georgia.

  It was late afternoon when he slowed to turn up a drive. The dirt road was lined with trees and brought a smile to her face. She loved how it looked. A midsized house sat at the top of the drive, surrounded by more trees offering shade from the oppressive sun.

  Lexy smiled at the sight of a woman sitting in a rocker on the large porch. She got to her feet when the truck stopped and walked to the top of the steps. Valentino shut off the engine and stepped out.

  “Valentino? Is that you? Lawd, chile. It’s been too long. Come give me a hug.”

  Lexy didn’t move as he met and embraced the woman. True affection poured from both of them. It was almost more than she’d seen with his own family. Which created more questions in her mind.

  “Who you brung?”

  “My wife, Lexy.” He beckoned to her and she hopped out.

  The woman may have been older, but she was sharp. Lexy saw that from the get-go. Valentino wrapped an arm around her. “Mrs Maybelle Jackson, this is my wife, Dr Lexy Cassano.”

  Shrewd eyes assessed her from top to bottom. “Call me Mrs Maybelle. You treating my boy here right?”

  Lexy smiled and offered her hand. “Doing what I can. He’s a bit difficult.”

  Maybelle smiled and nodded. “He is that. Come on inside, we’ll have lemonade and cookies whilst Valentino catches me up on what’s going on with him and I pry into this young thing’s life.”

  Lexy knew that meant her life. Within ten minutes they were seated in the living room, platter of cookies between them and a tray of lemonade and glasses as well.

  Lexy reached for the handle and poured Mrs Maybelle a glass first and handed it to her. Then she did Valentino’s and finally herself.

  “Thank you, child.” Maybelle took a long drink. “Now, what kind of doctor are you?”

  “Veterinarian.”

  “Could use one of those in the family. I’m always getting stray animals in the house.”

  The front door slammed and a deep voice with a thick accent called out, “Whose truck is that in the drive, Mrs Maybelle?”

  “What I don’ tol’ you about slamming my door, Beauregard? This house would fall apart if I wasn’t on him all the time,” she said with a slight smile and shake of her head.

  Beauregard stuck his head in and grinned when he saw them. “Valentino and his lovely wife, Lexy. Good to see you again.”

  “Remove your hat inside my house.”

  Lexy didn’t bother asking how the woman knew without even turning that he had it on, it was just something some people had a sixth sense about. And she left it at that.

  “Yes, ma’am, Mrs Maybelle.” Beauregard did as ordered and winked at her.

  “You and I need to talk, Beauregard.” Valentino finished his lemonade, placed the glass on the tray then stood. “Excuse me, ladies.”

  “Y’all make sure to take it outside,” Mrs Maybelle said.

  Lexy arched an eyebrow. “Take it outside?”

  “They’se about to scuffle. And I don’t want anything to break.”

  “Because Beauregard gave me the address?”

  “Because they’se boys.” She waved a hand. “Don’ fret none. Tell me more about you and how you met my other grandchild.”

  The way she said it made Lexy realize she wasn’t talking about Ethan but Valentino. Curling her fingers around the condensation that covered the glass, she sat back in her chair.

  “We met a few years ago when my best friend married his brother.”

  “That’s right. Giovanni married that smart one, Jaydee. So you met then. And how long have the two of you been married?”

  Lexy wasn’t sure the woman didn’t truly know the answer to that. The fact she knew about Jaydee and Gio surprised her. “Not that long.”

  Mrs Maybelle was silent for a few seconds. “How’d you get him to come down here?”

  “Told him I was coming.”

  “And you knew he wouldn’t let you go alone.” She nodded. “Smart woman. You’re good for him.”

  Lexy wasn’t too positive about that, but she wasn’t going to air that out in public to a woman she barely knew. So she smiled instead.

  * * * *

  Lexy sat in the large kitchen at the table and snapped green beans as Mrs Maybelle sliced peaches and apples. The guys had been gone for a few hours now and there wasn’t any lack of conversation in the house. Mrs Maybelle had been keeping up a steady stream from the get-go.

  “He come to say goodbye to his boy?”

  Mrs Maybelle’s question surprised her and she nearly dropped the beans in her hand.

  Knowing eyes met hers. “Please, chile. I look at him like one o’ mah own. As if I’d raised him with Beauregard. His pain affected all of us when he came and buried his son. He did it all. Dug the hole, built the casket and put it in the ground. Then covered him up again. One of the worst days here. He refused to allow anyone to help him.” She clucked her tongue. “I had a headstone made, but he’s not been back since to see.”

  Lexy stared out of the large window past the numerous herbs growing in pots arranged on the shelf. There was no sign of Val or Beauregard and she briefly wondered where he—they—were.

  “I felt it time.”

  Mrs Maybelle paused in her peach slicing and pierced her with sharp green eyes.

  “You take care with his heart. That boy is special to me and the members of this family. You understand?”

  Lexy nodded. “Yes, Mrs Maybelle.”

  “Good.”

  Maybelle finished the peaches and went on to the apples. Lexy got back to the large colander of green beans.

  Valentino and Beauregard entered after the pies had been put in the oven and Lexy was doing the dishes. She paused and peered over her shoulder at the duo. Dirty with faint remnants of blood on each. She quirked a brow.

  “I installed a dishwasher so you wouldn’t have to do dishes, Mrs Maybelle.”

  “Don’t sass me, Beauregard. I know what’s in my kitchen.”

  Lexy turned back to the sink and allowed the smile to lift her lips.

  “Watch yourself there, missy, wipe that smile from your face.”

  She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. “Sorry, Mrs Maybelle.”

  “Uppity youngsters. Supper in one hour.”

  “Love you, Grams.”

  Lexy peeked back over her shoulder and saw Beauregard kiss her and dance away from her playful smack.

  “Ain’ too old, Beauregard. You remember that. You ain’ too old.”

  Lexy had to work really hard to hide her smile. She truly liked his grandmother.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Valentino leaned against one of the porch pillars and watched Lexy. She was in the backyard, barefoot and catching lightning bugs. Her laugh was robust and hardy.

  He wanted to go down there with her. Have her teach him to be so carefree. His feet wouldn’t move and he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

  When she noticed him, she released the ones in her hand and made her way up to his side.

  “Enjoying yourself?”

  “I am. How are you doing? I see you’ve a bit of a shiner.”

  Valentino shrugged. “So has he.”

  “I know. He asked me to doctor him.”

  “What?” Valentino rumbled. This time I break him.

  “Relax. I told him I wasn’t good with humans and didn’t have a good bedside manner with them. He’d be better off with another doc.”

  “I got off the phone with Masters and he said your brother is doing fine.”

  “Thank you. You know, for checking and letti
ng me know about it daily.”

  She seemed nervous to him and he reached out to stroke her cheek. “He’s your brother. You want to know.” He lowered his hand, immediately missing the softness of her skin beneath his fingers.

  Lexy moved around him and lifted herself up to sit on the top rail. Their arms brushed against one another. From inside the house, Mrs Maybelle’s music filtered out to them. Classical, strong on the violin. It was a nice piece but one he couldn’t pull up the name for at this time.

  “Will you do something for me?” she asked him in a quiet voice.

  “What?” Suspicion immediately flared within him.

  “Agree.”

  “Tell me what it is first.”

  “No, you have to trust me enough to know it won’t be anything insane.”

  The music changed inside and this piece he did know. Nessun Dorma, a favorite of his mother’s.

  “Okay.” His acquiescence shocked him as well as the woman next to him, he knew that by her look. “What is it you want, Lexy?”

  She slipped silently off the rail and took his hand. “Dance with me.”

  “What?”

  She tugged on his hand until he followed her down to the grass. “Dance. You’ve done it before, is it suddenly a hardship?”

  “No,” he whispered.

  Valentino gathered her near and closed his eyes. As the strands of music floated down around them, they began to move slowly, wrapped in their own secluded world of a soft breeze, lightning bugs and powerful music. They stayed that way for a few of the other pieces that played after.

  Lexy was the one who pulled away. “Thank you. I’m going to bed.” She stepped by him, her hand lingering on his chest.

  “I’ll be right in.”

  The screen door closed gently behind her and he started back up the steps only to pause. “How long you been lurking there?”

  Beauregard stepped from the corner. “I didn’t want to interrupt.” He made his way to the top step and sat. “I have to tell you, I like her.”

  Valentino took the bottom step. “Apparently. And if you ask her to play doc with you again, you’re going to need a plastic surgeon by the time I get through with you.”

  He stretched out his legs and looked up at the sky. It wasn’t anything he did where his apartment was—that was in a city where neon lights ran all night long. One didn’t see the stars there. Perhaps one or two on a rare occasion.