CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“You cuddling closer to me in bed while naked doesn’t make me any less angry about this,” said Mav. Katelyn smiled up at him.
“I know.” She kissed down the side of his neck to his shoulder, tossing a leg over his belly.
“I don’t want to lose you, Katelyn.”
“And I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to be hidden for the rest of our lives. I don’t want to be confined to Belle Fleur forever. I want to live a full, rich life with you and our children. We can’t do that if he’s out there looking for me, looking for the others. We’re all affected by this, Mav.”
“How are the others?” he asked, looking down at her.
“Victoria is doing well. They finally got a message to Hayes, and he’s fine. He’s on a team that’s one of the best, and they’re all being cautious and protective of him. But he’s okay. They spoke for probably an hour,” she smirked. “I think she was just happy to hear his voice.”
“And Marilisa and Stephanie?”
“Marilisa is happy doing what she’s doing right now. She has no desire to leave here at the moment. I think she’s content and definitely figuring some things out for herself. I think she might have feelings for someone, but she’s not ready to let that cat out of the bag just yet. She’ll, um, figure it out. She’ll figure it all out.”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Just things,” she smiled. “Stephanie is healing. She’s got a ways to go, but she’s doing better. Braxton told her she could have the cottage to herself, but she asked him to stay there. She feels safer with him being in the same place.”
“I can see that,” said Mav. “He’s a big dude and oozes protectiveness. He says stupid shit sometimes, but he means well.”
“Speaking of,” moaned Katelyn. “I think you should show me again how much you love me.” She peppered kisses down his chest, rolling on top of him.
“Fine,” he smirked. “But I’m still not happy.”
“Liar. Yes, you are.”
“I’d like to go to Orlando tomorrow,” said Stephanie.
Braxton was washing the dishes, and she was behind him on the other side of the counter. He turned the water off, drying his hands, and slowly turned.
His massive body stood more than a foot above her own, the muscles in his jaw, cheeks, and neck flexing from him grinding his teeth together.
“You’re not completely well yet,” he said calmly. “The doctors said that you need time to gain weight and make sure that this new medication helps with the seizures. I don’t think it’s safe.”
“But you’ll be there,” she said. “You’ll be there, and you can protect me. Isn’t that what you told me?”
“Have a seat, Steph,” he said, nodding toward the sofa. She turned and took a seat in the corner of the sofa, placing a protective pillow on her lap. Her body couldn’t have been further from his own if she’d tried. He stared at her a moment and then spoke.
“Are you afraid of me?” he asked quietly.
“N-no. I mean, I don’t think you’ll hurt me. Physically,” she said. “I haven’t been around a lot of men other than the guards, teachers, and doctors.”
“I see. So, you know I won’t physically hurt you, but I say dumb shit and hurt your feelings,” he smirked. She blushed, and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Steph. You’re right. The other night at dinner, when you were talking about not being real, it killed me.”
“Why would that bother you?”
“Because I care,” he said. “I care about you. You’re as real as anyone here, Steph. I carried you. I should know. You have flesh and bone and blood. You’re fucking real. Listen, people are adopted, born from surrogates, even born from test tubes. The fact that someone figured out how to clone a human is terrifying and fucking brilliant all at the same time.
“To me, it’s one more thing that makes you unique and different. As a twin, being different sometimes is good, believe me.”
“I wish I could feel that way. Maybe one day I will. I just remember what those men said. They said I was a science experiment gone wrong. I don’t even know what that means,” she whispered.
“Maybe it means they thought you would follow all the rules, and when you didn’t, when you chose to escape, they knew they’d messed up in thinking you would be compliant. You’re not a mistake, Steph. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
“So, can I go to Orlando?” He smirked at her, laughing.
“Um, no. It’s not because I don’t think you’re capable. You are. But you’re not one hundred percent healthy, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.” She stared at him, and he squirmed a bit in his seat.
“Why?”
“Why? Why what?”
“Why don’t you want to see me get hurt?”
“Because I care about what happens to you, Steph. I-I want to see you happy and healthy. Here.”
“Here? Like here in this cottage?”
Braxton was saved by a knock on the door, his brother standing on the other side looking frazzled and worried.
“Hey, what’s up?” Pax looked over his shoulder at Stephanie and smiled.
“Hi, Steph.”
“Hi, Pax. I’m going to head to bed, Brax. Have a safe trip. I’ll see you when you get back.” He nodded, and then she turned back to him. “Be careful. Okay?”
“Okay,” he smiled. When she was safely behind her bedroom door, he stepped out onto the porch to speak with Pax. “What’s wrong?”
“Deanna. I think she’s at the house in Coronado.”
“Why do you think that?” he asked, knowing the answer.
“Because I’m not a complete idiot. Faith is the one who arranged for her to get away. Where else would she send her but to the house in Coronado?”
“So, are you going out there?”
“Yes. No. I mean, yes, when we get back, I’m going to head out there. I’m worried about her, and I want her to know that she can come back here.”
“Is that all?” asked Brax.
“I don’t know. Is protecting Stephanie the only thing you’re doing?”
“Fair enough,” nodded Brax. “Just keep a clear head tomorrow. We need everyone to make sure that Katelyn comes back unharmed, or Maverick is going to plow through some humans.”
“I’m still a professional, Brax. I know what I’m doing.”
“I know you do, Pax. Shit. Stop being so sensitive about everything. Look, for what it’s worth, I think that’s where Deanna is as well. I just want you to be certain that she wants to see you.”
Pax took the steps off the porch and turned to his brother.
“She won’t have a choice.” Brax just smirked at his brother, watching him walk away.
“Well, that should turn out well.”
“What are you doing up so late?” asked Saint, seeing Marilisa on the porch of her cottage. “It’s almost one a.m.”
“Isn’t that 0100?” she smirked.
“Yeah, it is,” he laughed, stepping up on the second step. “But that didn’t answer my question. Why are you up so late?”
“I’m just getting back from The Well,” she said.
“The Well? You’re not old enough to be there?”
“Patrick, I’m almost twenty-two years old. I’m more than old enough.”
“Yeah, but that place can be dangerous. There’s all kinds of guys there looking for only one thing.”
“Really?” she grinned. “Guys like you? Like Pax, Brax, and the others? Because I’ve seen you guys there, and you never even noticed me from across the room.”
“What?” he whispered.
Marilisa stood from her porch swing, the skin-tight jeans hugging every damn curve that girl owned, her scuffed cowboy boots looking sexy as shit for some reason. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her white blouse hugged her perfectly formed breasts. She took two steps toward him, standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at him. Placing one hand on his shoulder, she bent forward.
“If you’d just open your damn eyes, you’d see that I’m a grown woman capable of making my own decisions in life. I work with our weapons engineering team. I drive. I drink. And I’m more than ready for an adult relationship with the right man.”
She gripped his neck and slammed her lips against his, her tongue diving for his own. Saint couldn’t help but respond, pulling her off the step and into his arms, taking all that she was giving. When he realized he had her dangling off her feet, he set her back on the step and took one step backwards, landing him on his ass, missing the steps behind him.
“Are you okay?” she asked, starting toward him. He held up his hand.
“You stay right there. Don’t move.”
“Patrick…”
“Nope. Do not get any closer.” He stood breathing so heavily she thought he was injured. “Don’t come closer, Marilisa. Please. Go inside.”
“But…”
“Please. Go inside.”
“Alright. But whether you felt that or not, I did. I’m not a child, Patrick. Stop treating me like one before someone else figures it out.”
He stood on the path, waiting until she’d disappeared inside the cottage and all her lights were out. When he turned, he bent at the waist, sucking in deep breaths.
“Fuck!”