Protecting What's Mine

by Jennifer Sucevic

  “I love you, Grace.”

  My eyes widen at the unexpected declaration. “I love you, too,” I whisper in return.

  He leans forward and kisses me, gently turning my body until I’m lying across him. His erection presses against my belly, and my body awakens despite how tired I felt seconds ago.

  It’s always like this between us.

  He groans when my fingers wrap around his hard cock and begin stroking him. “Not tonight. You need to rest.”

  My body is sore, but another part is beginning to ache as well. It’s an ache only Matteo can relieve. I playfully bat my eyelashes and pout. “Don’t you want me?”

  His voice turns raspy as if he’s battling his own urges. And I love that. Love that I can drive him to the brink of distraction. “Of course I do, but you need a few more days to heal.” That doesn’t stop his lips from crashing into mine. From claiming my mouth and branding me as his. “Then I’ll take you exactly how I like best. Hard.”

  A delicious thrill bolts straight down to my center. The ache between my thighs intensifies and grows into a steady, pulsing beat. A demand for more.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Grace. I’ll always be right here with you.”

  His promise takes the sharp edge off my desire, filling me with a tenderness I didn’t think was possible.

  “I love you,” I whisper against his lips. I don’t want him to ever doubt me. “I don’t care who your family is. I don’t care what you’ve done in the past. I only care about you.” My eyes meet his. “You’re all that matters.”

  The darkness hiding in his eyes disappears. A smile spreads across his face. My belly flips because he’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen and I can’t imagine there coming a time when I’m not affected by him.

  At least, I hope there won’t be.

  The same love coursing through me fills his espresso-colored eyes. He reminds me, “Just know that you are mine, bella. You will always be mine.”

  Epilogue

  Five years later

  Matteo

  I throw open the door as the bell rings. George has a guest list at the front desk and is sending people up. It’s been a steady stream of family and friends arriving for the last hour. There are already about thirty people milling around the living room. The condo is open, airy, and spacious.

  It fits the three of us perfectly.

  I’ve been doing my best to convince my wife that we should take over my parents’ compound in the country. It would be the perfect place to raise Caterina.

  Along with the rest of the kids we plan on having.

  I shake Jonathan’s hand. “Hey, man. Good to see you.”

  Jonathan and Grace have been friends since she started at The Art Institute five years ago. Jonathan volunteers on a weekly basis. Grace will finish up her doctorate program next spring. She’s already been offered a permanent position as a curator with the museum.

  Can you believe that?

  Dr. Grace Valentini, PhD.

  Damn right it has a nice ring to it.

  Although I can’t deny that Mrs. Grace Valentini has a damn fine ring to it as well.

  I sprung the question on her about six months after the attempted hit-and-run incident. I knew how our relationship would play out before I stormed over to Dominic’s to claim her. By that point, Grace was already my woman. She may not have known it, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

  I wasn’t lying when I told her godfather that I protect what’s mine.

  I do.

  I give the two-year-old bundle of energy in my arms a kiss on her cherub-like cheek. I’ve been protecting what’s mine for five years now and that’s never going to change.

  Jonathan grins. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Jamie hands over a six-pack of Corona.

  I nod appreciatively. It’s one of my favorite beers. “Thanks for bringing the good stuff.”

  He gives me a wink. “Anything for you.”

  Jonathan holds out a bottle of white, which I happen to know is one of Grace’s favorites. She won’t be partaking in any today, though. The three of them love getting together and indulging in a few glasses of wine while gossiping about what’s happening at the museum, which is kind of mind-blowing because you would expect it to be dull and mundane in a stuffy place like that.

  Apparently not. The art museum is a hotbed of love, scandal, and intrigue.

  I almost snort at that thought.

  “And this is for my most favorite girl in the world.” Leaning toward me, Jonathan tickles Caterina’s belly. She squeals and holds out her chubby arms.

  “That’s right, baby girl, come to Uncle Johnny.”

  Caterina shrieks with excitement as Jonathan lifts her high above his head. Jamie smiles at her while making silly faces. I keep waiting for them to pop the news that they’re adopting. They’ve been talking about it for a couple of years.

  “Every time I see you, beautiful, you look more and more like your daddy.”

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I wouldn’t mention that to Grace. It’s kind of a touchy subject. Every time someone makes a comment, I end up getting an earful about how she’s the one who carried her for nine months and gained all the weight.” I shrug and add, “With any luck, this next one will take more after her.” Everything in me softens as I think about a little girl or boy with my wife’s looks and coloring.

  Both of their heads whip toward me.

  Realizing I just let the cat out of the bag, I wince. “Shit. I wasn’t supposed to mention anything yet.” I want to bellow it from the rooftops, though. “Grace wants to wait a few more weeks before we make an official announcement.”

  “Oh my God!” Jonathan shoots a triumphant grin at Jamie. “See! I told you there was another bun in the oven. In fact, I was just saying the other day that the girls were looking more bodacious than usual.”

  I give him a deadpan look. “Yeah, I don’t want you discussing my wife’s girls. Or how bodacious they look.” I’m the only one allowed to discuss my wife’s breasts. The girls belong strictly to me. Bodacious or otherwise.

  Jonathan rolls his eyes. “Please. We all know that I am most definitely not a breast man.”

  Jamie laughs his ass off, and I can’t help but smile. Not that I’ll tell him this, but he’s right. Grace’s breasts are bigger. Bodacious is the right word to describe their newfound lushness.

  And I fucking love it.

  I love when my wife is pregnant. Knocked up with my kid is a good look on her. I’m gunning for at least two more. Maybe three. I want a whole houseful of Valentinis running around.

  My gaze locks on my beautiful wife. She’s surrounded by my parents and siblings. Chloe is right beside her. After what went down with Dominic, the two women are tighter than before. Chloe may not be blood to either one of us, but she’s family.

  Just like Jonathan and Jamie.

  That means everything to a man like me. And I know it means everything to Grace. She may not have parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, or cousins, but she has all the people in this room. Every single one of them would do anything for her and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. Some of these people are family, bound by blood. Others are friends that have been pulled into our tight-knit inner circle. They are the family we’ve chosen to walk with us.

  As our eyes continue to cling, I want to stalk over, sink to my knees, and run my hands over her bulging belly. Sometimes I catch sight of her when I’m not expecting it, and she literally steals my breath away.

  How the fuck did I get so lucky?

  How does a woman as amazing as Grace end up falling for a guy like me?

  I don’t know.

  And furthermore, I don’t give two fucks.

  Her lips curve into a radiant smile as if she knows what’s running through my head. As if, from across the room, she feels the need I have for her.

  A need that eclipses almost everything else.

  A love that continues to
pound through me, growing stronger, running deeper, and encompassing more of my world, with each passing day.

  A love I wasn’t looking for but nevertheless found in an elevator on the way to the thirtieth floor.

  See that woman across the room?

  The gorgeous blonde with big blue eyes that can bring a grown man to his knees?

  That has already brought this man to his knees?

  Yeah, that woman is mine.

  That woman will always be mine.

  And just like I told her five years ago, I protect what’s mine.

  ~The End~

  If You Were Mine

  Chapter One

  Claire

  Narrowing my eyes, I watch him from my covert position inside the house. Even when we’re nowhere near each other, the man is still able to burrow his way deep under my skin. Like an itch I just can’t scratch. It’s irritating as hell.

  No… he’s irritating as hell.

  Someone needs to explain to me why he even bothered showing up today.

  This is hardly his scene.

  At this very moment, he’s lounging on the patio in a pair of vibrantly colored board shorts. His long, thickly muscled legs are stretched out lazily in front of him. Even though there’s a small smile curving his lips upwards, he can’t possibly be enjoying himself. He’s probably bored out of his ever-loving mind. This is, after all, some G-rated, Disney-esque family barbecue. This is hardly some wild, drunken orgy where women are going to be abandoning their bikinis in an hour or two because they’re so liquored up.

  Just in case you were wondering- JT Higgins is more of a drunken orgy kind of guy. Trust me, my conclusions haven’t been drawn from a few questionable lapses in judgment on his part. Oh no. It’s taken years for him to cultivate this kind of reputation. He was already making a name for himself at whatever Big Ten university he attended before being drafted by Green Bay three years ago. He may play professional football, but he’s even more notorious for his alcohol induced antics, bar brawls, and of course, the females who flock to him in droves.

  For the life of me, I can’t figure out why any self-respecting woman would actually want to be with him. Let alone broadcast it to the world at large. It’s a well-known fact that the guy dips his wick in anything that moves. Gross. The only possible upside I can see to all his activity is that he’s probably keeping some clinic in business with penicillin and swab tests.

  And it’s not just groupies who lose their minds over him either. He’s been linked with his fair share of actresses and models as well. I think he was even seeing two chicks from the US Women’s National Soccer Team last year.

  At the same time.

  From what I read online, it didn’t end well.

  “Why is who here?”

  Not realizing that I must have muttered those words out loud, my brother’s wife, Gia, steps beside me before slowly scanning the backyard as if she can pick out who I’m talking about. Gently she bounces four-month-old baby Max in her arms.

  Yanked right out of my thoughts, I try covering my slip up. “Hmmm? What? Did I say something?”

  Since her arms are full of baby, she nods towards the patio where about seventy people are enjoying the early September sunshine. It’s definitely a loud, boisterous group. All football players and their wives or girlfriends and offspring. People are lounging in the pool or playing bocce ball in the sand pit. A volleyball net has also been set up on the wide, expansive back lawn. Others are just hanging out at the many tables that have been scattered around the brick paver patio.

  This is the fifth year that my brother, Liam, has hosted a Labor Day party at his place. Everyone from the team is invited. Since it’s always more or less of an open house, friends and teammates will drop by throughout the day. The party starts around two, lasting well into the night before ending with a professional firework display.

  This is my fourth year attending. It’s something I look forward to all summer long. Everyone always has a good time. Liam and Gia are gracious hosts and go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and included. Plus, there’s plenty of food and drinks being served. If you walk away hungry at the end of this party, it’s your own fault.

  Gia gives me a knowing look before asking again, “Who were you talking about?”

  A slight blush creeps its way up my cheeks as the fib slides right off my lips. “No one. Just mumbling to myself.”

  Narrowing her blue eyes, she gives me one of those deep speculative stares that under normal circumstances would leave me squirming on the spot. Thankfully she doesn’t push the issue.

  As far as I’m concerned, JT is a complete ass. He’s definitely not worth wasting my breath on. Especially when there’s a party in full swing. I’m just going to ignore him. Should be simple enough. It’s not like I haven’t had lots of practice.

  Out of all the players on the team, why did my brother have to take an interest in JT Higgins? It was bad enough having to run into him every so often at team events and functions, but now he seems to be hanging around all the time. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if he weren’t always trying to strike up a conversation.

  But that’s exactly what he does.

  Even though he knows perfectly well that I don’t care for him.

  This is JT’s fourth season with Green Bay. Fingers crossed, it might just be his last. It seems as though the powers that be of the organization have finally had enough of his shenanigans.

  JT was told at the end of last season to either shape up, or he was getting traded. That’s unfortunately when my brother decided to step in. I think the GM and coaches see my older brother as being settled and mature even though he’s only twenty-seven. Liam has been married for almost six years now and has three small kids. Ty who is five, Charlotte who is three, and baby Max. I think the higher ups were hoping that Liam would miraculously rub off on the younger man.

  I narrow my eyes again.

  Because it’s entirely possible that he has.

  It’s been at least eight months since JT was involved in any kind of fight. He’s still photographed with women, but it doesn’t seem to be at the crazy extent it once was. And it’s never with the same woman twice. There’s a revolving door of them as if he just can’t choose one.

  He even bought a house in the same gated community as my brother about six months ago. Which means that he is forever dropping by unannounced. Thankfully I don’t live here, so I miss a lot of that. But I usually have dinner with Liam, Gia, and the kids every Thursday night. It’s a family thing we’ve been doing ever since I moved out here to attend college three years ago. I’m all too aware that at the end of the day, family is all you have.

  When I was ten years old, my mother just disappeared from our lives. One day we came home from school to find a note propped up on the kitchen table. My father couldn’t deal with her leaving and spiraled into his own abyss. Drinking. Job loss. Gambling. Eventually, we lost our house. My dad’s unreliability forced Liam to grow up fast and take responsibility for everything.

  My other brother, Cullum, who is two years older than me, took her leaving the hardest. He also got the shortest end of the stick. To keep us financially afloat, Cullum ended up quitting wrestling and football so he could get a job and help financially support the family.

  So yeah… I don’t take family lightly. I know exactly how important we are to one another. And Gia is now part of that family, too. She’s the sister I never had, but always wanted.

  So getting together for family dinners on Thursday night is kind of our thing. Except for Cullum, who doesn’t live here, it’s a chance for us to all be in one place at the same time and talk about everything that’s going on in our lives. Even though school can get pretty busy, I make a point to never miss them.

  What doesn’t make sense is that JT has started showing up to our Thursday night dinners. The first time, I thought it was merely a fluke. But then it happened the following week and the week after that. I have a difficult t
ime even being civil to the guy. I’d prefer for our worlds to not collide, but apparently my wishes don’t matter because I swear he’s around more than ever before. So I do the only thing I can and grit my teeth all the while pretending he doesn’t exist.

  Which is rude, I know.

  But I don’t particularly care.

  When JT first arrived in Green Bay, I was eighteen years old. I’d just moved here to attend the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay because my brother had been drafted as a quarterback three years earlier. And I wanted to get out of the city I’d grown up in. I could have easily gone to Barnett University like my brother, but I didn’t want that. I wanted a fresh start some place new. Plus, I’d wanted to be near Liam and his growing family.

  So really, JT and I came here at the same time.

  At that point, I knew absolutely nothing about him. Just because Liam plays football doesn’t necessarily mean I follow it.

  I’ll freely admit that when I first glimpsed JT in person, I was completely bowled over. Say what you want about him- he’s absolutely gorgeous. Tall and muscular with a face that is angular and chiseled. All of that coupled with his shaggy blond hair that usually gets pulled back with one of those headband thingies that some guys wear for sports. I’m not into that kind of look, but he wears it well. Add in a blindingly white smile, unusual light green eyes, and a sexual magnetism that’s hard to resist and you have JT Higgins wrapped up neatly in a package with a bow.

  Needless to say, he made my heart go pitter-patter the first time I caught sight of him. And I hadn’t had that kind of thing happen very often. If at all. Because academics have never come easy for me, I spent most of high school focused on my studies and little else.

  Since JT was part of the Green Bay organization and I ended up attending a lot of team functions with Gia and Liam, I found myself coming into contact with him upon occasion. Almost all of the guys on the team treat me like something of a little sister. No one has ever hit on me or made me feel uncomfortable in any kind of sexual way. I don’t think they would dare mess with their QB’s little sister. Plus, I think they all know just how crazy protective Liam is regarding his family.