Chapter 6
Shandra wasn’t sure how to answer that question. His absence this past week hurt her more than expected. Leo’s presence had become so normal that when things changed, it made her question everything she thought to be true.
Were they just friends?
Did she feel more for him than she was willing to admit?
What about her past? How would she explain what happened to her?
Would she ever feel safe enough to share that with him?
Had she missed him? Was she sad he had not been around? Yes, more than she could ever express.
“Don’t you dare come over here starting shit with me, Leo. This is about Amina and her not seeing you every day.” She paused before taking another sip of her wine. “Don’t disappear on her like that again.”
“Oh, Shandra. You just don’t know when to stop, do you? One day, you’ll remember this conversation, and when you do, I’ll be waiting for your apology.” Once he finished his food, he pushed up from the table and took his plate to the sink to rinse. When he walked back over to her, he stood next to her chair. “Stand up.”
She could see the seriousness of his tone reflected in his eyes as she looked up at him. Suddenly, her hands were clammy. Her legs felt like jelly. Placing her glass down, she pushed her chair back and stood. “Why do you need me to stand?”
He took a step closer, bringing his face within inches of hers. She could almost feel the heat from his body as he stood in her personal space. Was all this talk about him not being around finally bringing them to the moment she wished for and dreaded at the same time? Her gaze fell to his lips, and she couldn’t help the swipe of her tongue across her own.
He lifted one hand and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Starting tonight, things will have to change. I know it’s not what you want right now, but we can’t ignore what’s happening.”
Shandra’s heart thudded loudly in her ears. She wondered if he could hear the sound. Was he saying what she thought he was? Was she ready for this? After all this time, was he finally saying the words she’d been waiting for?
“Leo? Are you saying…”
“Because of the issue with Andrea, you and Amina will need to come live with me for a while. We’ll have one of the guys take her to school each morning, and another will shadow you at work each day. He’ll stay out of your way, but him being there is non-negotiable. If you need us to make some phone calls to the hospital so that it’s cleared to have him there, we will.”
Shandra was shocked. That was not what she expected to hear. Yet, it kept getting worse as he continued.
“If it were up to me, you would quit that job immediately and stay home, where I could keep you safe. But since I know you’d throw a damn tantrum if I tried to control your life that way, having someone with you every day is the next best option.”
Shifting back a step, she stared into his face. He was deadass serious. “No. Absolutely not.”
He moved closer, leaning his head down to stare into her eyes. “This is non-negotiable. You and Amina will leave here tonight and come to my home. Pack a bag. We’ll come back in a couple of days and grab the rest of your stuff.”
There was no way in hell she was leaving her home over some bullshit fake-ass mafia princess who got her feelings hurt. “Leo, tell me you’re joking. I mean, you can’t really be serious.”
“As a fucking heart attack.”
“But I thought you said it was handled? That the Ricci’s won’t retaliate. Why should Amina and I uproot our lives now? We don’t need to.” Then his other words sunk in. “And hell no, I’m not quitting my job. You can get that thought out of your head right now. I worked too damn hard to get where I am to just walk away.”
Yes, he knew that would be a long shot, but he had to mention it to her. He would have to work on that in the future. Seeing her all fired up made him feel things he didn’t want to dissect right now. Now was not the time. He would focus on that later. Once they were all back at his place.
“No one’s asking you to quit your job, Shandra. That’s the whole damn point of you having someone there to watch out for you when I can’t. Damn, woman, you’re so fucking stubborn.” One large hand ran through the dark strands of his perfectly styled hair. She wanted to reach up and fix it for him, but just barely held herself back.
If they could see the picture they made, standing so close together, there would be no doubt just how much they were drawn to each other. Leo’s green eyes bore into her brown ones. Each of them fighting for dominance over the other. If it weren’t so damn ridiculous, Leo would laugh at how confrontational the two of them looked as they stood toe-to-toe.
“Go pack a bag, sweetheart. I want to make sure you’re settled tonight so I can give the all-clear to the men on our next steps. Even if they try something, they’ll never get to you at my home.”
She would ignore that he called her sweetheart, but it didn’t take away the memory of hearing the word roll off his tongue while he stood so close to her. If only she could take that leap and tell him how she felt. Every sign he was giving her said he felt the same way. Then again, fear and doubt would stop even the strongest person from putting themselves out there. Taking a risk with her heart didn’t seem worth it. Even if being with Leo was the reward.
If he wanted something more with her, it would have to be his move.
“Are you worried for me?” she asked. “Or are you worried about Amina?” Those were foolish questions to ask, but now that she’d opened her mouth, there was no way to take back the words.
He smiled at her. One hand grabbed her waist, pulling her closer. Her breath caught in her lungs as he leaned in closer, his lips inches from hers. “You and Amina mean everything to me. I will never let anything happen to either of you. Even if you don’t believe me now, you will. One day, you’ll understand.”
Shandra was suddenly released from his grasp and almost fell backward.
He stepped away from her and motioned toward the back of her small house. “Now, please go pack a suitcase for Amina. And unless you want me rummaging through your underwear drawer, make sure you pack a suitcase for yourself as well.”
“You’d better not go through my panty drawer,” she said with a smirk. “I swear, you’re such a freak.”
His smile made her core clench with need. “You have no idea. Not yet. But you will.” His arm lifted, and he glanced down at his watch. “Let’s have everything wrapped up in an hour. I’ll grab Amina once you’re all done here.”
“Fine. We’ll go to your house. You’re lucky you already have a room set up for her there. I guess you’d been planning for something like this?”
He shook his head. “I would never want the two of you in danger. But we all know there’s safety in numbers. There’s always a possibility of something going south. Don’t act like you don’t know this. You’ve been around Camille long enough to realize that shit can go sideways. So, yes, I planned for the possibility that if you and Amina needed a safe space, that it would be with me. She has everything she needs there, but I know you may want to bring some of her stuff from here.”
“What about me?” she asked. “Is everything I need there as well?”
Leo was torn. Just a week ago, he would have sworn this conversation would never be happening. Was Shandra finally recognizing what they could have together, if given the chance? He didn’t want to push her too hard, because he knew how quick she was to pull away. But he also didn’t want to lose this moment.
His voice softened into a tone he rarely used with anyone. “That’s up to you. There’s always a choice, Shandra. But that means you have to decide what you want for yourself. For your future. Some things you need to see for yourself. So, if you want everything you will ever need to be at my home, then that’s what’ll happen. If not… if you make a different decision, then that’s all on you.” He tilted his head as if coming to a decision. “I’m not going anywhere, Shandra. We’ll have a longer conversation about this later, but now is not the time. For now, let’s get you and the princess out of here.”
In a daze, all Shandra could do was nod before walking away. She left him standing in the dining room while she went to her room first. Once she pulled out her travel suitcase, she packed enough clothes for an entire week, plus all her important toiletries. She knew Leo could buy anything she forgot, but she still wanted to take the important things.
Opening her underwear drawer, she smiled at the thought of Leo rummaging through her silky unmentionables. What would be his response as his fingers sifted through her thongs? Would he have blushed while picturing them against her skin? She wondered how his own body would have responded. Would his need for her have increased? Would his dick have gotten hard? Just thinking about it got her hot and bothered.
That man confused her so much. It was hard to keep things straight in her head. He seemed to want more with her, but was allowing her to make the call. Who does that? She wasn’t the type to accept when a man pushed her too hard or refused to give her a choice in her own life, so she appreciated that Leo was leaving the decision up to her.
After finishing up with her suitcase, she walked out to the living room. Seeing him standing there looking out the window, she couldn’t help but picture her life with Leo by her side.
Her friend.
Her protector.
Her lover.
Although it was hard for her to admit, they were already two out of three. The last piece of the puzzle was all on her.
“Hey,” she called out. “Here’s my stuff. Let me go grab Amina’s.”
When he turned to look at her, she almost wanted to run to him and throw herself in his arms. Maybe she had gone about this entire thing all wrong. Even though she pushed him away, he was still here. He never gave up on her. Even now, when it seemed like shit was hitting the fan, he was standing here in her home, waiting for her to go home with him so he could protect her and her daughter.
“Thank you for being here. For coming to get me and Amina,” she said. “Thank you for taking care of us and keeping us safe.”
With his hands in his pants pockets, he looked into her eyes. “I will always keep you safe. You should know that by now.”
Unsure of what to say in response, she simply nodded and went to pack up Amina’s stuff. Twenty minutes later, they were walking out to Leo’s truck, and Amina was placed in her booster seat. She was out cold and never opened her eyes as they bustled her from her bed and strapped her in.
Leo took a few minutes to talk to the men who would follow them to his house. When he jumped into the truck, he glanced over at Shandra. “You ready?”
To her, it seemed like those two words meant so much more. “I’m ready.”
Looking back at her home, she had a feeling she wouldn’t be returning anytime soon. There was no doubt in her mind that Leo would protect her and the Lucarelli family would handle the situation. But it seemed as if this was a moment in time that would change everything.
Shandra turned her head to stare at Leo. His powerful hands maneuvered the vehicle with precision. His eyes swept left and right, as if constantly looking for anything out of place, any potential threats. She realized he always did that. Always kept his head on a swivel.
“How long were you in the military?”
He glanced at her before turning his eyes back to the road. At first, she didn’t think he would answer. After a moment, he spoke. “Six years. I did three tours overseas in a combat zone.”
“But you’re also a doctor, right? How did a doctor go into combat?”
“You have a lot of questions tonight.”
She shrugged. “I’m just curious about the man inviting me and my daughter into his home.” She noticed his lips tighten at her words and wondered what she’d said to garner that response.
“I wasn’t a doctor when I went in. I had my bachelor’s degree when I got out and knew I wanted to do something different. Becoming a lawyer wasn’t something I would ever do, but becoming a doctor made sense. It’s helped the family on many occasions. I just don’t actively practice.”
They were both quiet as he continued to drive until Shandra broke the silence. “If I tell you a secret, do you promise to keep it to yourself? Meaning, you can’t even tell Tristan.”
She knew telling Leo about what happened to her, and the aftermath, was putting their connection at risk. But tonight seemed like the right moment to share the deepest part of herself. The only question was, would he be able to handle the truth?