Serena
I spent the night at Dante’s. Not wanting to face my mother after being drugged and almost kidnapped. I tried to keep the anxiety I felt out of my voice when I spoke to her on the phone earlier, but she could tell something was wrong. Mom’s always can.
Nico, Marco, and Bastian left yesterday to fly back home for the holidays with Nico’s uncle. They each gave me a big hug, promising they would be back soon and would find this guy. I thanked them all and wished them a Merry Christmas.
After that, Dante and I spent the evening watching movies on his couch. At least parts of movies. I think by the second movie we put on, our clothes were off and we entertained each other with other things the rest of the night.
I passed out on the couch after the fourth round, and Dante carried me to his bed. He woke me this morning with his expert tongue. I have learnt the hard way how much Dante loves edging and denying me until I am a mess under him and begging him.
I glance over to the clock hanging on the wall in the kitchen as I sip my latte that Dante prepared for me. It’s noon, and I probably should head home. Christmas is in a few days, and I need some time with my mom.
As if sensing what I am thinking, Dante grabs my hand and pulls me towards the garage door off the entrance of the house. He grabs the keys for a fancy sports car and opens the passenger door for me. I smile at him before sitting in the car seat. The smell of leather and new car fills my senses as Dante walks over to the driver’s side.
The engine roars to life, and soon we are driving down the long driveway and onto the main road. Music starts playing through the sound system, but I don’t know the song. Sounds like old rap music that my mom might have liked while growing up. The song is catchy, and I bob my head along with it.
I glance over to Dante. His hands are gripping the steering wheel tightly, and his face is set in a stony mask. He doesn’t look at me. Barely acting as if I am in the car with him. Something is going through his head.
I turn around, not in the mood to speak, and stare out the window as the world passes by. Before I know it, we are pulling into Fallingbrook. The familiar roads that were recently so foreign to me fill my sight. The café I go to regularly in the morning. The diner that makes the best food I have ever had. Except for my moms.
My street comes into view, and we pull onto it. I see them before they notice us. Zane, Ryker, and Axel. All are standing in Zane’s laneway, deep in conversation. Dante notices them too and slows his car down.
“I’ll get out here. You turn around and head home.” I say, not wanting any type of fight to happen.
Dante grinds his teeth as he stares the three of them down, but he nods his head. I can see how much he wants to hurt them in his eyes, but he knows I am right. He would be woefully outmanned and outgunned right now. As much as I think I could stand in the middle and stop bullets from flying, I am also not stupid enough to think that that isn’t a logical solution to this.
Zane and the others may have shown some sort of weird attachment to me, but I have learnt enough to know that they would rather kill me to get to Dante than to leave without a fight.
Dante pulls his car over and puts it into park. I lean over the center console and press my lips to his. His warm lips fight against mine for control that I readily give him. I never thought I would be the one to enjoy having a dominant man, but I can’t get enough of it.
The way he controls my body doesn’t make me feel like I am giving up a part of myself. Destroying who I am as a person. Instead, it is embracing a part of me I never knew existed. A part that craves it.
Dante growls against my lips as I try to pull away from him. His hand shoots up, grabbing a fistful of my hair, and holds me where he wants me. I clench my thighs together as need grows in me.
We stare into each other's eyes for a few moments, taking each other in. The rich amber color of his eyes holds me captive in them. The small flecks of gold shine in the sunlight. His silky dark hair, always so perfect the way it is slicked back.
I want to say something to him. Anything. But the words are stuck in my throat. By the looks of him, he feels the same way. Instead of words, I gently place my lips against his again, stealing a peck before pulling away. His hand lazily lets go of my hair, not wanting this moment to end.
I open my door, climb out, and give him one last look before closing it. I walk down the street towards my house, only checking over my shoulder once to see him still parked there. His windows are tinted enough that you can’t see him in it, but with how ridiculously expensive the car is, you can tell it’s him.
I ignore the three men in the laneway next to mine as I walk up the front path to the door. With my hand on the handle, I take one last look at Dante as he pulls his car around and drives off.
I feel their stares on me. Like oil on my skin. I look at the three of them with their hungry gazes fully focused on my ass. A shiver of dread runs down my spine. Before they can say anything, I open the front door and walk inside to hop in a scolding hot shower to get the feeling of their predatory gaze off me.
The second the door closes, my mom pokes her head out from the kitchen. A smug smile on her lips means she is hiding something from me. She has always had the same look when she tries to surprise me with anything.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and the shower can wait. I walk towards the kitchen, determined to figure out what my mom has planned. She rushes back in, and I close in on her.
“Mom, what are you…” I start, but my words falter as I see what she was hiding.
My grandparents are sitting at the table with wide grins as they see me. Grandma, a woman in her sixties, still looked good for her age. Her dark brown hair has started to fade, and small pieces of white are shining through. Her deep blue eyes shine with happy tears as we stare at each other. She is wearing a pink cashmere sweater and beige palazzo pants.
Grandpa, also in his sixties, is sitting next to her. His salt and pepper hair has thinned out some, but still covers his whole head. He is a tall, skinny man who, no matter what he ate, never put weight on. He is wearing black trousers and a light blue button-down top.
I don’t think, I just move. I ran towards them and threw myself into my grandma’s arms. She tightly wraps her arms around me, holding me close as the tears start to fall from my eyes.
This would have been the first Christmas I spent away from them, and it was a hard thing for me to wrap my head around. As much as I wanted to keep that to myself, Mom could tell how much it was bugging me.
This is the best Christmas surprise I could have ever asked for.
Grandma pulls away from me and wipes the tears from my eyes. I rest my head against her hand, loving the feeling of her skin against mine.
I turn to Grandpa next, who is now standing, and wrap my arms around his waist. A hearty chuckle escapes him as we embrace. More tears flow from my eyes, but this is the first time in a long time they are from happiness, and I don’t want them to end.
I spent the entire afternoon catching up with my grandparents. Telling them everything that I could about our new lives here in Fallingbrook. I even told them about the guys, just not that I am seeing all four of them or what they are associated with. Grandma and Grandpa gave mom a few side eyes as I spoke about them, but that was it.
We talked about school. My friends. That I finally feel like a better version of myself. I swear I didn’t stop talking for hours.
Mom must have told them about the break-in after it happened because I got a grilling from Grandpa that I need to learn to protect myself better. I agreed with him on that. And I already have a plan for that.
Grandma was worried that this place wasn’t safe enough for the two of us to live, but Mom reassured her that this was the safest place for us. After a bit of back and forth, Grandma finally relented on the subject.
Though they seemed to be arguing about more than just the break-in. Without additional words between them about what they really meant, I could read between the lines. There was something else Grandma was worried about, but no one would say what it was.
Mom made a huge dinner for the four of us, and we are all seated around the kitchen table enjoying it together.
“I heard an interesting rumor the other day,” Grandma says between bites of the lasagna Mom made.
“Oh yeah?” Mom replies.
“I saw Evan out and about,” Grandma says with a sneer. “He was with a man whom I had never seen before. Word on the street that it is his older brother.”
“He doesn’t have an older brother,” I add.
“Apparently, he does. His father allegedly slept with one of his students, and she became pregnant. He paid her off to either get rid of the baby or to keep away from him. A hefty sum if the rumors are to be believed. I guess the son got in touch with Evan, and now his father is furious that they have grown close.”
Grandma takes another bite of her food as we all soak in what she said. It doesn’t surprise me that he would have another child, or that he would pay to have it kept quiet. That man is all about his image and would do anything to keep it clean.
But why would Evan never tell me about this brother? Why do I even care? I don’t, but it is curious. Evan was all about his family's appearance as well, and wouldn’t publicly do anything to tarnish it. I’m guessing he kept it quiet for that reason while secretly wanting to know his older brother.
The rest of the dinner is spent catching up. Grandma and Grandpa are going to stay until New Year’s Eve. They wanted to stay longer, but I guess they had booked a vacation that starts on the second of January and wanted time to go home and get ready before leaving.
This is the nicest night I have had in a long time. My family is all together like it used to be.
All feels right in the world.
Let’s hope that feeling stays.