by Laurie Roma
She’d always thought it had been odd when one of her professors had been replaced mid-semester. Now, she knew why. As annoyed as she’d been to have bodyguards following her around, she’d had to admit she had felt safer. Still, she’d thought her brothers had been overreacting. She hadn’t had a clue she had been in danger, and fear made her shiver while she thought about what could have happened.
Elle gasped when he plucked her right out of her seat and dragged her onto his lap.
“Do you really think I would let anything happen to you?” he demanded.
“No, of course not,” she answered truthfully.
“We have money, and that makes us targets. That’s just the way things are. But there is a sweetness in you, a goodness that will never automatically think of all of the fucked-up things that could happen. That’s the way it should be. Protecting you is my privilege. If you want to go to school, it’s my job to make it safe for you. If you want to go shopping in New York or fucking Milan, I’ll make it happen. You will be safe. End of story.”
His dark gaze was intense as he waited for her to argue with him, but that was the last thing she wanted to do. How could she be mad at a man who said protecting her was a privilege?
She leaned in and pressed her lips lightly against his. “Thank you.”
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body tighter against him. “My actions aren’t completely altruistic. I wouldn’t survive it if anything happened to you, so I need to keep you safe.”
She let out a breathless laugh. “And all this time it was killing me thinking you didn’t want me.”
“I want you so much I can barely breathe sometimes. You’re mine now, Elle.”
“Kade, I’ve always been yours.”
He gripped the back of her neck and dragged her closer until his lips claimed hers in a brutal kiss. Moaning, she welcomed the pleasurable onslaught with the same passion and heat. After dreaming of him for so long, it almost felt too good to be true to finally be in his arms. She ran her hands over his chest, and she loved the way his hard muscles flexed beneath her fingers.
Her clit throbbed and pulsed as she rocked against him, thrilled to feel his steel hard erection trying to burst out of his jeans. Rubbing against him was enough to put pressure exactly where she needed it the most, but she wanted more.
She wanted all of him.
Greedy desperation had her reaching down between them to unbuckle his jeans. She felt an irrational urgency to solidify their relationship before she woke up and figured out this had all been a dream.
He let out a low growl and grabbed hold of her wrists, stopping her from completing her task. A whimper of need escaped, and her mouth chased after his when he tried to break their kiss. He gave in, brushing his lips against hers again, but he refused to release her hands when she tried to tug them free.
Breathing hard, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. “As much as I would love to have you slide your tight pussy down on my cock right now, it’s not going to happen while we’re in a parking lot in front of all of your classmates.”
Blinking, she glanced around. “Oh, my god! I forgot where we were!”
Kade chuckled as she hunched down and buried her face against his neck. Luckily, the tint on his windows was dark enough to hide them from view. He still wouldn’t risk having sex with her in his truck with so many people around. As far as he knew, she was completely innocent. That meant it was on him to make sure her first time was special.
“Don’t worry, ku’uipo. They can’t see us.”
She lifted her head and stared at him curiously. “You called me that earlier. What does it mean?”
He leaned in and kissed her again. “It means you are my sweetheart.”
“I like it.” When she shifted on him, he groaned and held her still. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“I won’t be okay until I have you spread out on my bed with my face between your thighs,” he gritted out.
Well, damn. He hadn’t meant to be that brutally honest.
“Okay. Let’s go home and do that,” she said a little breathlessly.
He groaned as need flooded his system. “You’re killing me, ku’uipo.”
“You’re the one who said it.”
It would be so easy to lose himself in her. To forget about everyone and everything else, but he knew that would have been selfish. They had responsibilities and people were depending on them. Some of his lust eased, but he still felt like he was on the edge of losing control.
“I meant every word, but we have to wait. Your mom texted earlier and asked if we could pick up your cousin Liam from the airport since we’re already in the city. He had to take a different flight than the rest of your relatives coming in from Ireland. He’ll be calling us soon once he lands.”
“I haven’t bothered checking my phone since I finished the exam. She probably texted me, too, which means we can’t pretend we didn’t see the messages. Maybe we could just—”
“It’s your mom. She’d know.”
“Damn it, you’re right.” She carefully crawled off of his lap and sat back down in her own seat. Pouting a little, she said, “I feel cheated out of my reward.”
He choked out a laugh. “Sex was not your reward for taking your exam.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “I didn’t mean, umm…”
Enjoying her embarrassment, he reached for the purple and gold bag behind her seat. When he held it out to her, her blue eyes were drenched with happiness. There was a famous chocolatier in the city that made truffles she absolutely adored. While they changed their chocolate selections each month, he had invested in the business to ensure they would always keep some truffles on hand for Elle.
“You got me chocolate truffles? Thank you! Thank you! This is the bestest reward ever!”
“Even better than the last one you thought I got for you?”
“These chocolate truffles are to die for.” Her eyes narrowed. “Besides, you don’t seem to upset we couldn’t…you know.”
“Baby girl, I’ve waited years for you. Waiting a few more days to completely make you mine is nothing compared to that.”
Her eyes went wide with shocked horror. “Days? You’re going to make me wait days to…to…”
Since she sounded so appalled, he chuckled softly. He leaned over to press his lips against hers to stop her from sputtering. “I thought I was the one with the stutter.”
She blinked in surprise at his casual comment, then frowned. “Days?”
Kade felt his heart ache at the longing he saw in her eyes. Knowing she wanted him as much as he wanted her was everything, a gift beyond measure. He would not take her virginity in his truck in some parking lot, nor would he squander it in a stolen moment they’d have to fit in between wedding preparations and entertaining her visiting relatives over the next few days.
Elle deserved more than that.
She deserved everything.
“The next few days are important to your brother and new sister. More than that, it’s important to your mother.”
“If you’re trying to make me feel bad, it’s totally working.” She groaned. “Now that I’m officially done with school, I have no protection from all of her crazy wedding plans. She’s going to make me do things.”
He rubbed her thigh in sympathy and simply because he liked touching her. “She’ll be keeping all of us busy. We’ll do what we have to and help make sure everything is perfect for Griffin and Vivi. Then, after the wedding…”
“Yes?”
He paused to start the truck, then he turned and let her see the promise in his eyes. “After the wedding, you’re all mine.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Hey, you got a minute?”
Griffin stopped pacing his spacious living room and glanced over at Kade with a look of gratitude on his face. “Yes, please. Distract me, would you? I’m driving myself crazy. Vivienne is talking to her dad, and I’m down here trying to stop myse
lf from going up there and barging into the room to make sure she’s okay.”
“She would kill you if you saw her wedding dress before she’s ready.”
“Which is why I’m down here pacing like an idiot instead of upstairs defending my woman. If her dad tries to talk her out of marrying me, I’m going to toss that son of a bitch off the pier,” he threatened, starting to pace again. He smoothed down the lapels of his tailored gray suit, then fixed the cuff links on his white shirt.
Kade had never seen Griffin looking so frazzled. He almost felt bad adding to his friend’s inner turmoil, especially today of all days, but it couldn’t be helped. Over the last few days, it had been impossible to find a private moment to have this particular conversation, so he was stealing the time now.
Instead of a formal suit, Kade had opted for a dark gray dress shirt to go with his black slacks. He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned his hip against the back of the couch.
“Vivi loves you. She’s not going anywhere. A few more minutes, and you’ll have that locked down tight. And you can’t murder your father-in-law, no matter how much you want to. I think that’s a rule or something.”
Griffin snorted out a laugh as he came to a stop again. “So, what’s up? Everything good outside?”
Since all of Griffin and Vivienne’s neighbors had been invited to the party, the entire block had been shut down. A few of the local food trucks had been hired to serve a selection of appetizers, while the dinner was being handled by Nia, Heath, their parents, and the rest of the staff from The Bower. The outdoor kitchen on the back terrace was being used for dinner prep, although some items, like the wedding cake, were being kept inside the safety of the house.
The shades had been drawn down over the wall of windows, giving them privacy from the eyes of the guests hanging out in Griffin’s backyard around the pool or down by the bay. Dozens of tables had been set up for dinner in the massive tent that had been set up on Cooper’s property. They had also constructed a dance floor and a small stage for the DJ that was currently playing suitable background music.
“Guests are still arriving, and the open bar and appetizers are keeping people happy. Your mom is in her element making everyone feel welcomed, while Coop and Brennan are keeping the dogs happy out on the terrace and making sure no one comes in here. The catering staff is ready to serve dinner as soon as the ceremony is done, and all your neighbors are coming, so we won’t have to worry about any noise complaints once the dancing starts.”
“Good.”
“So far, it doesn’t seem like they have a clue your engagement party is about to become a surprise wedding.”
“Awesome.” His gaze tracked back over to the staircase, clearly waiting for Vivienne to appear.
He wasn’t really listening, but Kade couldn’t wait any longer. He debated how to ease into the subject, then decided to just get right to the point. “Elle is my date tonight.”
“Uh huh. That’s good.”
Kade wanted to growl in frustration. It would probably be bad form to hit his friend on his wedding day. “I’m in love with her.”
That finally got Griffin’s full attention. After a long beat of silence, he slowly grinned. “Well, it’s about fucking time.”
“I should have…what?”
“I’ve been wondering how long it was going to take for you to stop being so damn stubborn and make it official.”
At a loss for words, Kade just stared at him.
Griffin sighed. “I trust you with my life. You’re one of the most honorable men I know. Who else would I trust to take care of Elle?”
He let out a baffled laugh. “This is not how I expected you to react.”
“Maybe I would have reacted differently before I found Vivienne. Actually, I’m pretty sure I would have punched you before. I would have said you were too old for her. Too cynical. But now, I know that everything is different when you find the one.”
“She’s definitely mine.”
Griffin rolled his eyes. “You made that clear when you hired bodyguards to follow her around.”
Kade was relieved Elle hadn’t freaked out about him hiring Daniel and Libby to keep her safe when he couldn’t be with her. He was glad Elle liked them, and he felt better knowing they would continue to protect her while also helping with the charity work she was doing.
“Dan and Libby Walker were highly recommended by the security company we use,” he reminded. “I thought having two private bodyguards who were also a couple would help make Elle feel a little more comfortable around them, and I was right. She does like them.”
“She knows about them and hasn’t strangled you?”
“Elle figured it out a while ago. Now that she’s done with school, they’ll continue to protect her while also doing some work for the Foundation.”
“Man, it really must be love.” Griffin shook his head. “Have you told her you built your house for her yet?”
Kade shook his head. “I figured I’d tell her after I convince her to move in with me.”
“You poor besotted bastard.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“We both got it bad. I knew Elle had a crush on you since that first time I dragged you home with me on leave, and to be honest, it worried me a little because she never got over you. Never moved on. But then, I realized you never moved on either.”
“I never touched her back then,” Kade swore.
Griffin winced. “Don’t make me think about that. She’ll always be my baby sister, but I’m glad you waited until she grew up a little more. That girl is smart, and she’s got plans. I know you’ll support her and keep her safe. Who better than a Marine? Right?”
“Damn, right.” He’d make sure no one ever hurt her, or they would answer to him. Then, he’d happily break them in half. “I’m going to marry her.”
“Aren’t you supposed to ask for my permission?”
Kade shrugged. “I’d prefer it if I had your approval, but either way, she’s mine.”
That made Griffin choke out a laugh. “Cocky bastard. You’re lucky I approve. You’re already like a brother to me. I guess this would just make it official. However, I do have to warn you that if you hurt her, no one will ever find your body.”
“She’s my world, Griff.”
“Good, then we won’t have a problem.” An evil grin curved his lips. “Then again, you still have to talk to Brennan and Zane.”
“Bren already knows.”
Griffin’s eyes widened. “And yet here you stand still breathing. Impressive.”
“I planned on talking to you first, but he mentioned something at the bar last weekend and—”
Before he could finish what he was saying, Zane opened the patio door and hurried inside wearing a huge grin. He wore dark blue pants with a subtle plaid pattern and a dress shirt the color of a cloudless sky, but he’d offset the semi-formalwear with a pair of neon pink flip-flops.
“Hey! There you are. You guys will never guess who just tried to show up.”
“What the hell are you wearing?” Griffin demanded, scowling down at his brother’s choice of footwear.
“What—oh. Don’t worry, I brought real shoes. I was just distracting mom. Her being mad at me for wearing these took her mind off freaking out about all of the other wedding details. She’s seriously going crazy trying to make this day perfect. So, you owe me.”
“You’re sort of diabolical but effective. I guess I do owe you.”
“Was it Sabrina Post?” Kade asked, getting them back on track.
“Got it in one. She and her date showed up with her parents. I think she knew there was a chance she wouldn’t get in if she came without her mom and dad, so she hitched a ride with them.”
“Is it that fucker Brian?” Griffin asked darkly. “If that son of a bitch thinks he can come here—”
“Nope, it was some other dude I vaguely remember from high school. And since Kade had the brilliant idea of telling security to watch
out for them, the guards at the end of the block refused to allow them past the gate. Judge Post was pretty pissed they weren’t being allowed into the party. She was giving the guards hell when I happened to stroll by.”
Kade frowned. “They were supposed to notify me.”
“They were looking for you,” Zane admitted with a laugh. “But why should you have all the fun? I took one of the golf carts down to the gate and had the pleasure of informing both of Sabrina’s parents exactly why she’s not allowed anywhere near our sister.”
“I bet they enjoyed hearing that,” Griffin said cheerfully.
“Her dad started making a bunch of excuses, but he got really quiet when I mentioned the drink she threw at Elle and the drug charges her boyfriend got slapped with the other night. Her parents ordered Sabrina to go home. I’m glad I’ve never had to face Judge Post in her courtroom, because man, she’s a little scary. Oh, and as a fun bonus, Sabrina’s date opted to stay without her. From what I remember about him from school, I don’t think he’s a complete asshole. If I’m wrong, we can always boot him later.”
Kade had been hoping for that exact scenario. He had been confident that Sabrina’s parents had never heard about half of the shit their daughter had done. Even if they had, the judge would have a difficult time overlooking her daughter’s actions, especially when there was video evidence of her bad behavior.
He wanted to complain since he’d been hoping to confront Elle’s former nemesis, however, Zane had a flare for the dramatic that Kade wasn’t capable of. A part of him wished he could do more to get back at the people who had hurt Elle, but he knew she would be satisfied with this outcome. Too bad he hadn’t recorded the confrontation for all of them to enjoy.
Then again, he was talking about Zane. “Did you record it?”
“Of course, I did. I had one of the guards use my phone. I’ll send it to everyone later.” Zane grinned and slapped his brother on the shoulder. “So, you ready to get hitched? If you want to run, this is your last chance.”
