Chapter 25
SLIP
After Sloane and Riley brought our luggage upstairs, Maddy and I got ready for the party. That involved me going down on her in the shower and fucking her until she called out my name. We had a lot of catching up to do after being apart for weeks, and I was damn well making sure we did.
As I shaved at the sink, Maddy took over the bathroom to do her hair and makeup, covering the vanity counter in her cosmetic bags, blow-dryer, and flat iron. I raked my eyes over her gorgeous long legs, stomach, and breasts as she slipped on a floaty long, yellow dress with short sleeves. But worry inched through my mind. In the weeks since I’d last seen her, more ribs protruded beneath her flesh. Her curves had shrunk. Her spine, more obvious.
I didn’t want her to lose more weight. I loved every dip and rise covering her body. We’d both had a stressful few months, but hopefully the worst was behind us... hopefully.
She was still stunning. She always would be. My hardened dick wanted to stay there in our room, buried inside her, not be stuffed away inside the confines of fresh boxer briefs while I had to be civil to my relatives. I could never get enough of Maddy. Not ever. But I possessed some level of control. Some...not a lot .
I put on a casual black button-down shirt and beige pants, brushed my long hair and tied it back into a ponytail...just for mom. She wasn’t a fan of my long hair, so I’d thought I’d do something nice for her birthday.
Not sure it would matter though.
Mom would go off at me about something...and everything, from getting married, to the gossip online, to my band’s parties, to not seeing her often enough. So the sooner I faced her rants, the sooner I could get on with celebrating and catching up with other relatives.
“I’ll wait for you downstairs.” I slipped a pain-killer into my pocket for later—having to take them at a set time per day was often hard, but I managed—then I kissed Maddy on the cheek. “Don’t be long.”
“I won’t be.” Leaning toward the mirror, she drew eyeliner onto her lids. “Five more minutes. Tops.”
That meant ten. “Okay. Love you.”
She didn’t need any makeup; she looked more beautiful without it. Her mocha skin was flawless. Her dark eyes shimmered with no eyeshadow, mascara, or false-lash highlights. I often kissed any lipstick or gloss from her perfect pink lips within seconds, so that really was a waste of time. But asking her not to wear any was a battle I wouldn’t win, so I left it well alone.
I clambered down the staircase and headed outside onto the terrace covered in the late afternoon sunshine. I loved Italy, but I wouldn’t want to live here. It was too hot. And too far away from the action of LA—the action I loved but also needed a break from.
“Josh. Chase me.” Charlotte giggled as she shot around the end of the villa and ran across the lawn with her teddy bear hooked underneath her arm. Ava’s son came charging around the corner after her. Then...Harper scurried after them.
“Charlotte? Josh? Stop. We have to wait here for your mom and dad to go to the party.”
Harper’s short, floral dress showed off her long, tanned legs. Her blonde bob flicked around her face as she caught Charlotte and swung her round. But as I watched her play with the kids, I felt... nothing . No flutter in my stomach. No skip in my pulse. No loss in my chest. Maddy truly owned me. There was never any doubt in my mind.
I just needed Maddy to understand that.
Thwack.
“Ow!” I clutched my arm. But then a big grin slid across my face. Maddy.
“You finished ogling Harper?”
“Harper?” I glanced around, this way, then that. “Where is she?”
Maddy narrowed her eyes, and a sly smile curled across her lips. “Nice save. But I saw you watching her.”
“She just ran across the lawn, chasing the kids. There was no ogling involved.”
“Hmmm. Come on.” Disbelief swayed her tone as she entwined her fingers with mine and tugged me toward the front door. “I need wine.”
So do I. But wait . . .
“Mads?” I drew her to a halt, raised our joined hands, and spun her ’round. Her dress flared as she turned. Her long hair fanned outward. Her smile returned. “My God, you’re beautiful.” I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. “ Mio bel girasole .” Always. I cupped her cheek and smiled, my mouth hovering an inch from hers. “ Ti amo . Got that?”
Her insecurities had always hung between us. As did my own. I was hell-bent on eliminating them. I was a man on a mission. In love. Totally crazy about this woman before me.
“Yeah. I do.” She slid her hands up my chest and around my neck. She kissed me, long and hard, with a lot of tongue... fuck yeah . That lipstick on her lips didn’t last long.
But I wasn’t na?ve. She’d kissed me in full view of Harper. I was down for Maddy claiming me as hers at any time, on any day. Any. Fucking. Day.
A few minutes later, the others joined us, dressed and ready to party.
We took to the cars and drove a few miles down the road to my uncle’s vineyard. Dozens of vehicles lined the gravel driveway or were parked in a neat row in front of a trellis covered in grapevines. Ahead, twenty kids ran around the lawn in front of the rustic villa, playing croquet and kicking soccer balls. But we couldn’t see any adults.
“Where is everyone?” Maddy peered out the windshield.
“Probably out the back in the garden.” I drove slowly toward the main house, the gravel crunching beneath the car tires.
“Mmmm.” She threw me a saucy grin and wriggled her butt against the seat. “You know I like a party in the back.”
I laughed out loud. My dick jolted to life, aching, hard and ready. Damn. I’d need a minute before I walked into the garden. Not a good look, catching up with family with a raging hard-on. “Mads, I’ll give it to you anywhere, at any time.”
She slid her hand around my thigh, brushing her knuckles against my dick. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Tease . . . but I love it.
As we drove closer to the villa, the party came into view. Maddy gaped at the massive gathering of people spilling across the lawn, drinking at tables, and standing in the late afternoon shade of the huge trees. “Holy shit. How many people did you say would be here?”
I pulled up by a hedge and killed the engine, and my friends parked beside us. “Um...about two hundred.” The majority would be relatives with a few ring-ins like my friends. But they were a given.
“That’s a lot of people.”
“I have a big family.” Mom was one of six siblings. Dad was one of seven. Everyone had married and had children, then they’d all married and bred, including my brothers. I was the only one without kids, and I didn’t want that status to change.
“I’m already overwhelmed.” Maddy wiped her hands on her dress.
“Don’t be.” I jumped out of the car and rushed around to open the door for her. I held out my hand. Hers slid into mine, and I helped her to stand. “You ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Same. It was time for the showdown. “Let’s go find Mom and wish her a happy birthday. Then I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Our friends joined us, and we set off.
Hand in hand, Maddy and I made our way through the sea of people. A few relatives stopped us to say hello and congratulations, and to meet the guys and their girlfriends. By the time I spotted Mom sitting at one of the long tables underneath the trees, the whispers about me and my friends being there had taken on a life of their own. The guys and I weren’t popular in Europe the last time I was here five years ago. Then, I was just a guitarist in a small LA band. No one gave a shit about us. But now we caused a commotion, even amongst family, and especially with my cousins of a similar age.
Mom rose from her chair. I hadn’t seen her in months, but she hadn’t changed in years. She barely scraped five-foot-three. Her short, dark gray hair was maybe a touch whiter than it had been the last time I’d seen her, but her eyes were sharp and clear. Her long navy skirt billowed in the warm breeze as she stepped toward me with arms held wide. “ Oh, Sebastian, sei venuto !”
“ Buon compleanno, Mamma . Yes, we made it.” I gave her a big hug. “Perfectly timed during the tour.”
“Perfect planning by Julian. He’s such a good boy. So thoughtful.”
Yeah. And thanks to my credit card that paid for the food and alcohol . But everyone was there, and I loved being able to help.
But then Mom clutched my face hard between her hands and speared me with her worry-filled gaze. She turned my face left, then right. “Are you not well? You’re withering away. Don’t they feed you on tour?”
I lowered her hands and clasped them tight, giving them a reassuring shake. “They do. Very well. I’m just fit from performing. That’s all.” I’d thinned down in the face, and my jeans were looser, thanks to pumping out show after show.
“When was the last time you had a decent sleep?” Concern embedded in her tone. “You look terrible.”
“Geez. Thanks.” I didn’t look bad. Did I? I didn’t need her on my case. But I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a decent rest. “Tour’s just full on.” To change the subject, I grabbed Maddy’s hand and drew her forward. “ Mamma , I’d like you to officially meet my beautiful wife, Maddy. She flew in to join us.”
“Hi. Happy birthday.” Maddy kissed Mom hello on both cheeks. “Nice to see you again.”
But Mom barely moved. She drew her shoulders back and eyed Maddy up and down. “Hello, dear. You’re as thin as a broom too.”
“Can you tell my mother that?” Maddy giggled and slid back to my side.
Mom ignored her and took a small step toward me. Her low voice cut through the air like a knife. “ Sono ancora arrabbiata con te , Sebastian.”
I winced. Shit show, here we come. “Why are you still upset with me, Mom? And Mads doesn’t speak Italian, so talk in English, per favore ?”
“My apologies, dear.” Mom nodded once at Maddy, then returned her attention to me. Heavy disappointment remained lodged in her tone. “You’ve done some crazy things, my boy, but marrying this girl I didn’t even know you were dating tops the list.”
I shouldn’t have expected anything less. But I didn’t want to upset her or cause a scene in front of my relatives. And Maddy certainly didn’t need this crap. So I slid on a cool smile. “I don’t know about that, Mom. I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my time, but marrying Maddy isn’t one of them.” I curled my hand around Maddy’s, drew her close and found my grounding. “I’ve told you that countless times on the phone. We love each other. So let it go. We’re here to celebrate—not fight.” I injected cheer into my voice. “Today is about you, not us. So let’s drink, have fun, and party the night away.”
Mom drew her shoulders back. She pasted on a subtle smile and dipped her chin. “Of course. But I’m not done with you. We’ll talk later.”
“Can’t wait.” Sarcasm dripped off my tongue.
Flint was quick to step forward with Sutton and wish Mom a happy birthday. So did Cole, Ava, Lewis, and Tia. Harper had disappeared with the kids.
As we melted into the crowd to meet relatives, I didn’t let go of Maddy’s hand. She leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Wow. Your mom doesn’t like me.”
“She doesn’t like anyone at first, but she’ll come around. Trust me.” Maybe one day, but not today.
I introduced Maddy to Dad, who shook her hand, but there was no cheer in his congratulations. My brothers and their wives hugged us and welcomed Maddy to the family, still clearly shocked by what we’d done .
Throughout the early evening, my friends and I chatted to dozens of my relatives who had flown in from across the country and around the globe. Maddy and I were inundated with well wishes, but also thrown a fair bit of flack for not having a big wedding. Tough. People just had to get the fuck over it. But if conversations didn’t center around Maddy and me, they focused on the tour. The guys and I were swamped with questions about crazy fans and which celebrities we knew, and we had too many selfies with star-struck cousins. But by the time dinner was served, the excitement had calmed down, and we were just part of the crowd...family.
Except for the continual head shakes from Mom and Dad.
As my friends, Maddy and I sat around one of the long tables, I ate way too much delicious food and drank too much sensational wine. With every mouthful, a moan fell from my mouth. From the seafood to the pizza, to the pasta...all were sensational. But Maddy picked at a garden salad. I’d kill to have seen her eat a loaded plate of creamy pasta. I entwined my fingers with her tiny hand and kissed her wedding rings. “You want something else to eat? The linguine alle vongole is fantastic.”
“No. I’m full. Thank you.”
How could she be? She’d hardly touched a thing. At what point should I be concerned about her health? We were both stressed and overworked, and hated being apart. I didn’t want her to get sick because of it. That was just another thing to worry about and add to my long list.
The party lingered well into the night. Underneath huge flood lights shining over the garden, we played table tennis with some cousins. Maddy kicked my ass. So she should. I couldn’t move like I used to. My hip made sure of that. But the oxy I swallowed an hour prior got me through.
By midnight, most of my relatives had headed off to their hotels or vacation rentals. Harper had taken the kids back to our villa earlier in the evening. All that remained were my uncle and his family sitting around one table, and my immediate family—my parents, my brothers, me, and my friends—at another. As we continued to enjoy good wine, it was finally nice to catch up in the calm.
Theo—my brother who was two years older than me, and the one I got on best with—was well on the way to getting drunk with my friends. As loud conversations filled the air, he tapped a knife against his very full glass of wine, bringing everyone to attention. Once we all fell quiet, he raised his glass. “Mom, I don’t want to steal your birthday thunder. But this is the first time we’ve seen Slip since he’s gotten married. So...” He raised his wine another two inches higher. “I’d like to make a toast to the newlyweds. The news shocked the shit out of us. That’s not a first. As long as you’re happy, I wish you all the best. May you have an amazing life together. To Maddy and Slip.”
“To Maddy and Slip.” Everyone saluted us with their drinks and took a sip. Everyone except Mom.
“Thank you,” Maddy and I said in unison.
Luca, my oldest brother, sitting at the far end of the table, burst out laughing. “Slip, what the fuck possessed you to get hitched in Vegas? Mom and Dad were so pissed and upset. Mom still goes on about it.”
So I’d noticed. My pulse quickened, but I remained calm and collected. I kept one hand entwined with Maddy’s and raised my wine in the other. “So we could avoid the expense of you fuckers drinking thousands of dollars’ worth of alcohol.”
“You can afford it.” Julian smirked as he grabbed a bottle of wine off the table and topped up his glass and Luca’s. “But...you’re right.”
Dad picked an olive out of the bowl and rolled it around between his fingertips. “No vows in a church before God? No declaration of your love and commitment before family and friends? No celebration of starting a life together?” Disappointment hung on every word he spoke. He rarely said anything, but when he did, it was usually to highlight some grievance toward me. He’d always gone off at me for partying too much, drinking excessively, and dabbling in drugs. Fair points. He loved me and the guys, but feared the lifestyle we led. He didn’t want any of us to wind up like Phil. I wanted to avoid that too. For Maddy. She was my endgame.
“Oh, we celebrated plenty.” I chuckled to mask the ache in my chest. “We did say vows.” I remembered every word. “We declared our love to each other in a chapel. Everything else is superficial bullshit.”
“No. It’s not. “ Mom slapped her hand against the table, making her plate jump. “What you did was cruel and disrespectful to your father and me. I raised you to be a better man than that. A wedding is about families uniting. What you did was wrong.”
“I’m sorry?” Maddy drew her shoulder back. “There is no right or wrong way to get married. Yes, ours was spontaneous. But it was fun and stress-free. I don’t have a big family. If we’d had a planned wedding, it would have been very one-sided. We didn’t want that.”
My heart swelled to the size of the moon. Maddy was standing up for what we’d done. For us. God, I love her.
“You weren’t even engaged.” Mom leaned forward in her chair.
“Yes, we were.” Maddy’s eyes glinted as she raised our joined hands, showing off her huge diamond. “For about forty-five minutes.”
I chuckled and kissed her cheek.
“There is nothing right about drunken foolery.” Mom’s tone remained blunt and short. “Madison, you’re as bad as Sebastian for going through with it.”
“No, we’re good for each other.” Maddy smiled at me. Her gaze, soft and warm. Then she turned back to my parents. “We’ve known each other for two years. We weren’t strangers who tied the knot. We’re great friends and want a life together.”
“Together?” Mom shook her head. “So you’re moving home from Vancouver?”
“Um...I’m not.” Maddy’s touch turned cold, and she eased her hand out from underneath mine to place it on her lap. “My show has been extended for two more seasons. I’ve re-signed, so I’ll be in Canada for at least another couple years. Maybe longer.”
“What?” My heart lurched against my ribs. I spun to face her and spoke low so only she could hear. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
My friends, sitting opposite us, shot me concerned looks.
She shrugged like the news was no big deal, but it was. My head was exploding. Not because she was still doing her show, but because she hadn’t mentioned the show’s renewal or talked about re-signing in weeks. This was no deal-breaker. But why hadn’t she told me the news?
“We haven’t had a chance to talk,” she whispered. “You were busy with the show. Tired. I didn’t want to bring it up during the drive. I’d planned to tell you tomorrow.”
My neck pinched as I nodded. I closed my eyes and hid my anguish behind a soft smile. “It’s okay. We’ll talk later.” Fuuuuck!
“How are you going to build a life together while you’re in a different country?” Mom jabbed her finger against the table. “When are you going to have children?”
My leg jiggled. Sweat broke out on my neck. I grimaced and rubbed my brow. We’d had this conversation many times over the years. I wasn’t like my brothers. Never would be. “Mom, we don’t want kids.” I made no apology for not being paternal. I had no desire to have children. Nor did Maddy. I had too many other things that filled me with satisfaction and contentment. My friends, music, and Maddy were all I needed.
“We’ll have some for you,” Tia piped up from beside me. “Lewis and I are baby-ready. You can dote on them any time you like.”
“I knew I liked you for a reason.” Mom’s eyes sparkled at Tia and Lewis. Growing up across the street from each other, Tia, Cole, Flint, Phil, and I had been inseparable, always hanging out and playing music, and often having dinners together. Mom always loved feeding everyone. “You’re going to have beautiful bambini .”
“We can’t wait to have a family.” Lewis swooped in and gave Tia a quick kiss on the lips.
“You be a good man, Lewis.” Mom wagged her finger at him. “Marry Tia first.”
“Now that might not be for us.” Tia giggled as she swiped her drink off the table. “We’re happy as is.”
Mom threw her hands into the air. “What is with young people these days?”
“Mrs. L, we go after what we want and don’t need to follow any traditions.” Cole waved his wine at her. “I’d move in with you just for your cooking.”
“Oh, you’re a troublemaker, you are.” Mom blushed, pink as a peach. Cole always flirted with Mom, and she fucking loved it. I was sure she was the reason Cole fell in love with Italian food. She loved looking after me and my friends when we were younger. But Mom drew in a deep breath and wrapped her cardigan around her middle. “Sebastian, marriage is about family. Why get married if you have no intention of having one?”
Maddy dug her fingers into my thigh, harder and harder. “Marriage is about love. Family is not just about children. These people are my family.” She circled her finger through the air, taking in our friends. “We love, support, and respect one another. We are always there for each other. We never judge and are grateful to be in each other’s lives.” She took my hand in hers and clutched it hard, turning her attention back to my parents. “Not once have they ridiculed us for what we did. They questioned it, absolutely. But everyone supported us once they knew we were serious. You don’t have to like how we got married, but you have to accept it. What we want out of life may differ from what you want, and there is nothing wrong with that. We have a lot of things to work out. It would be nice if you could respect and support us. If not, I won’t lose sleep over it. But Slip will. He loves all of you. Does a lot for you. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this.”
I just fell even more in love with my wife. I loved her fire. That she was in this with me. But I wasn’t in the mood to battle my parents .“Mads?” My voice hovered just above a whisper. “It’s okay.”
“No. It’s not,” Maddy shot back at my parents. “They haven’t said one nice thing to us all evening. Can’t they be happy for us?”
“Not their style.” I shrugged.
Mom shook her head. “It’s hard to be happy when you’re continually in the headlines. All this speculation surrounding Sebastian’s involvement with Harper is embarrassing. I don’t know what to believe. It’s shameful, Sebastian. Shameful.”
Clenching my jaw, I summoned a level tone. “I’m not with Harper. It’s just gossip.”
“Trust me.” Maddy smirked. “I wish that would die too.”
Luca cut in and laughed. “I like your spirit, Maddy. But we’ve all got bets on how long you two stay married.”
The strings holding my heart together snapped. “Fuck you, Luca.” I’d had enough. My family could sling shit at me—they always did. But not at Maddy. I wiped my hand down my face and then rubbed the back of my neck. I was so tired. Tired of the continual crap Maddy and I had to face. Tired of being apart. Tired of gossip and bullshit. My shoulders slumped, weighed down with tons of marble. My body ached with too much tension. I hauled in a long breath and glared at my parents. “I’ve always had to prove to you I’m good at what I do. That my friends are decent people. That they are my family too. I don’t need to do that anymore. I’m a grown man. I didn’t need your approval to get married, or on who I’ve chosen to spend my life with, or on how I go about doing that. I love everyone here—especially Maddy. We didn’t come for this bullshit.” I tugged on the skirt of Maddy’s dress. “Let’s get out of here.” I pushed my chair back and rose to my feet.
“Sure, babe.” She put down her napkin and stood.
“Guys.” I jutted my chin toward my friends. “We’ll see you back at the villa.”
“’Kay. We’ll come too.” Cole grabbed a fresh glass of wine and guzzled it as if aiming to down the whole thing.
But I held up my hand. “Cole, it’s fine. Stay. Enjoy yourselves.”
Cole stopped drinking. Concern drifted across his eyes as he nodded. “We won’t be long.”
After grabbing her clutch off the back of the chair, Maddy stepped toward my parents. Her expression softened and a warm smile lit her face. “Mrs. Lipfield, I hope you’ve had a fabulous birthday. It was nice to see you again and I look forward to getting to know you. Enjoy the rest of your vacation. I’ll see you back in LA.”
Maddy hugged and waved farewell to my family. She was so freaking sweet.
I just stormed off.
My family wasn’t going anywhere. They loved me. But they’d pissed me off. They’d get over it. So would I. We may be Italian, but we weren’t a family who held grudges for too long...except maybe my mother. We spoke our minds far too often. Me...not often enough.
Maddy drove us back to our villa in silence. When we walked inside, I reached for the vodka sitting on top of the bar, but Maddy placed her hand on my arm. “You don’t need that. Not tonight. It’s been a long day. Let’s just go to bed.”
I tightened my grip around the neck of the bottle. My hand shook. Fuck. I stared at the vodka. The lure to drink called to me. The demon inside me poked and stirred my craving. Have a drink. Just one. I swallowed hard, my throat dry and burning for relief. It will make you feel better. Help you relax. Go on. Take a sip.
“Slip?” Concern drifted through Maddy’s whisper.
Then I looked at her. There was no competition. She won every time, destroying every demon inside of me. She was what I craved. I let go of the bottle and wrapped my arms around her. Holding her close, I hugged her tight. “I’m sorry about my family.”
“Don’t be.” She circled her hands over my back and rested her cheek against my shoulder. “They love and care about you.”
“Only on days when they want something. But they could’ve been nicer to you.”
“Not my first one-star review.”
A low chuckle escaped me. “Mine either. I’m still sorry.”
“Let’s go to bed.” Maddy stepped back and combed her fingers through my hair. “You look exhausted.”
I felt it in my blood. My muscles. My mind.
The small hesitation and dark clouds looming in Maddy’s gaze made my breath shudder. I didn’t want her to worry about me.
I took her hand and led her up to our room. After showering, we fell into bed and made slow, sexy love. I made her come...twice. But Maddy’s mind was elsewhere. In the aftermath of our lovemaking, I drew her into my arms and kissed her soft lips. “Mads? What are you thinking about?”
She played with the hairs on my chest, tickling and trailing her fingernails across my skin. “Us. We’re like the eye of a storm. We’re in the center, and our lives and family and friends are this constant swirl of chaos around us, pulling and throwing us in all different directions. I’m not sure if that will destroy us or if we’re strong enough to survive the weather.”
“I feel like that all the time.” I stroked her hair and tucked it behind her ear. “We’ve just got to ignore it. If we stay focused on us, we’ll be okay. I promise.”
But a distant haze drifted across her eyes. She blinked it away, then nodded. “I love you.”
I kissed her on the forehead. “I love you too. ’Night, bel girasole .”
“’Night.”
But as we snuggled beneath the sheet, she remained restless, wriggling about and playing with my hair.
I was beyond tired.
I wanted to love her, talk all night, but sleep pulled me under.
When I woke, she wasn’t beside me.
I reached out, sliding my hand over the bed sheets where she’d laid. They were cold.
Fuck!
I sat upright. She wasn’t in the bathroom. Nor on the balcony.
Shit!
Had my family gotten into her head?
How could I assure her I was nothing like them?