Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
~SHANE~
“ Y ou look really good for a girl who survived a war zone this afternoon,” Annika says to Ivie, who’s sitting beside me in the family room, balancing a plate of pizza on her lap. “How are you holding up, honey?”
“I’m fine.” Ivie sighs and takes another bite of Hawaiian pizza. “I feel like it was all a movie and that it didn’t really happen. But it did.”
“And now it’s over,” I assure her, but want to wince when she looks up at me with wide, blue eyes.
“No, it’s not over.”
“It will be,” Nadia assures her. “Sooner than later, even if I have to kill every one of them myself.”
“Let’s talk about something less violent,” Annika suggests, making the rest of us laugh. “I’ve been thinking about getting a puppy.”
“What kind?” Ivie asks, sitting forward. “I want one, too. Let’s get siblings from the same litter, and they can be besties.”
“Oh my gosh, yes ,” Annika agrees with excitement. “I was thinking a Shih Tzu. Or a Bichon. You know, something small and cute.”
“A chick dog,” Rocco says with a smirk.
“It’s a small dog,” Annika says and sends my brother a glare. “Because I don’t have time to exercise a big dog, and a small dog can go to the office with me. Why do you care, anyway?”
“I literally said three words,” Rocco says.
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t say any words at all, Rafe Martinelli.”
“Rocco,” he corrects her, and Carmine and I share a look. He’ll never win this battle with these women. Never.
“I will not call you Rocco ,” Annika reminds him. “Your mother named you Rafe. Your name is Rafe. ”
“Seriously, dude, Rafe is so much better,” Nadia says. “I’ve never understood the Rocco thing.”
“It’s my name, and I can decide what I want people to call me,” my brother says. “If you call me Rafe, I won’t reply.”
“Fine,” Annika says. “I don’t want to talk to you anyway so that works just fine.”
“Why are you so difficult?” Rocco demands.
“You two are so cute,” Ivie says with a dreamy look on her face. “The way you tease and flirt is adorable. Why don’t you just go ahead and start making out, right here.”
Both Rocco and Annika glare at Ivie, which only makes us all laugh harder. These two have been fighting whatever is between them for years. And they hid it. I was shocked to discover earlier this year that they’d had a secret relationship years before. I’ve asked Rocco to tell me about it, but he just clams up.
He won’t speak of it.
It’s baffling.
“Yes, my annoyance is cute,” Annika says, sarcasm dripping from every word.
“It is,” Ivie insists. “If you didn’t give a shit, you’d ignore him. But you do give a shit. And I don’t know why you’re fighting it so damn hard. But that’s none of my business. I guess I was just reminded today how short life can be. And what’s the point of denying what you love? What you enjoy?”
“This is getting really philosophical,” Nadia says as she rises to her feet and wanders into the kitchen, then opens the freezer to find the ice cream. “I’m scooping up ice cream for this talk. And pouring wine. Wine and ice cream.”
“I’ll pour the whiskey,” I offer and pour myself, Curt, and each of my brothers three fingers. Curt’s sitting at the edge of the room, looking uncomfortable. Which isn’t unusual when he’s in a room full of people.
But he knows my family.
“Drink this.” I pass him the glass and pat his shoulder. “You more than earned it today.”
“I won’t turn it down,” he says and takes a sip. “I think I’ll turn in, man. Helluva day. And I need to look over the cameras at the ranch, make sure everything is as it should be.”
“Appreciate it. Let me know if you need anything. Otherwise, I’ll plan to meet with you at oh-eight-hundred.”
“I’ll be there.” He stands with his glass, nods at everyone in the room, and starts to leave, but Ivie calls out to him.
“Curt!” She jumps off the couch and hurries across the room, throwing her arms around him. “Thank you. Thank you so much. ”
“Hey.” He pats her back uncomfortably and looks at me with panic in his eyes. “Don’t cry.”
“You saved me,” she says and sniffs loudly. “And I just think you’re wonderful.”
“Uh, you’re pretty great yourself.”
I move in to rescue him, and he passes a weepy Ivie over to me. She buries her face against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her.
“Goodnight, everyone,” Curt says and leaves the room.
“I know I sound stupid,” Ivie says as she pulls back and wipes her eyes. “But when it all started to go down, we didn’t know where Shane was, and Curt was with me. We’d just finished target practice in the firing range and were putting things away, cleaning up, when the alarms went off. Thank God that’s where we were so he could grab weapons. I took some, too, and he made me go through the tunnel to the bunker and wait. Made me promise not to come out, under any circumstances.”
She sits on the couch again and wipes her eyes. Annika passes her some tissues.
“I know you wanted to talk about less violent things?—”
“It’s okay,” Annika assures her before I can. “Talk it out, honey.”
Ivie nods. “I found the monitors in the bunker, and I could watch what was happening on the property. It was so crazy. Scary as hell. And then I saw Shane, and for a second, I was relieved that he was there to help, but also so fucking terrified that one of those bastards would h-h-hurt him.”
I take her hand, link my fingers with hers, and raise her hand to my mouth.
“But they didn’t get hurt. They saved me. And now I’m here, in Seattle, eating ice cream and pizza with my favorite people.”
“I’m touched,” Rocco says, making her grin.
“You’re one of my favorite people, too, Rafe. ”
My brother scowls. “I can’t win with these women.”
“Get used to it,” Carmine suggests, earning a glare from his fiancée. “I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course.”
“Sure, you do.” Nadia stands and stretches. “We should go home where I can punish you for that. Let these guys get some rest.”
“You’re not staying here?” Ivie asks.
“Our house isn’t far away,” Nadia assures her. “I’ll be back in the morning. I’m bringing breakfast. Then Carmine and I are headed to New York for a few days.”
“I don’t like it,” Ivie says, blowing out a breath.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.” Nadia hugs Ivie close. “I’ll see you in the morning.
Carmine and Nadia say their goodbyes, but Rocco hangs back.
“I’m staying,” he says simply and looks at Annika. “My room is next to yours. If you need anything , just let me know.”
“I—” Annika begins, but Rocco cuts her off.
“Don’t argue, just say ‘okay.’”
“Okay,” she replies. “Thanks.”
He nods and walks out of the room.
“He really does worry about you,” I say to Annika.
“I know.” She sighs and offers me a small smile. “I’ve worked really hard for a while now to distance myself from him and my feelings for him. Old habits die hard. I’m going up, too. But I suspect I’ll be back for another glass of wine.”
“Take the bottle,” Ivie suggests. “I’ll sneak over and drink it with you.”
“You don’t have to sneak.” I grin at her.
“Even better.”
“We haven’t heard anything.”
Ivie and I are walking across the grass of my grandmother’s property. It’s been three days since we arrived. Carmine and Nadia are wrapping things up in New York, and Rocco is on his way back from Texas. He left yesterday morning.
He didn’t want to be away from Annika for too long.
Even though the woman pretends that she can’t stand the sight of him.
“Everyone will be back by morning,” I assure Ivie.
“But I don’t know what they found. Where did Rafe go, anyway?”
“He just had some work to do, some things to see to. I suspect we’ll have information from all of them tomorrow.”
“I hope so. We’ve been here for three days, and nothing is happening. It’s quiet. Which I’m not complaining about because I’ve been up close and personal with the alternative and I’ll take quiet over that every time. But I don’t trust it.”
I don’t either. There hasn’t been any chatter, nothing to report. It’s too quiet again.
I don’t like it.
“Let’s enjoy the sunshine today and worry about the rest when the others get here tomorrow,” I suggest.
“You’re right. It’s a nice day. Tomorrow is Annika’s birthday, and I haven’t had time to get her anything.”
“I’m quite sure she understands.”
Ivie smiles. “You’re right. I’ll figure something out for her. It’s pretty out here. You said you spent a good portion of your childhood here?”
“Yes. This was my father’s parents’ home. We came here every summer, along with our cousin, Elena. Ran wild all over this property. Swam in the pond, played in the gazebo. Gram had that treehouse built when Carmine was about eight.”
I point to the treehouse ahead. I’m taking her there. It’s private, and I plan to talk to her. Tell her how I feel—how much I love her, and that I want to make this work between us. She’s right, life is short, too damn short, and I’m going to hold onto her for as long as I possibly can.
“I can picture it,” she says with a smile. “It’s a great property for kids.”
“And Gram spoiled us rotten. She had a firm hand, and we didn’t get anything by her, but she gave us just about anything we wanted. The entire top floor of the house is an attic, and we loved to play up there. She never threw anything away.”
“I bet it’s a treasure trove.”
“It is. She’s been gone more than a year now, and we haven’t had time to go through everything yet. But she’d be happy that we’re using the house.”
“And your parents? Are they close by?”
“Yes. Actually, my father will be here tomorrow to meet with my brothers and me. My mom might come with him. You’ll get to meet them.”
“I’ve met them,” she says with a soft smile. “At Annika’s wedding. I’ve seen them from afar here and there over the years.”
I look down at her in surprise. “I don’t remember meeting you before that wedding.”
“I don’t think we met. Not formally, anyway. I was just around now and then at parties the families were invited to.”
“No way. I would have noticed you.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” Ivie shakes her head and then laughs. “I’m not the type of girl that men notice, Shane.”
“We’ve been over this. I think you’re hot. So, if you were around, I would have noticed.”
She smiles up at me as we approach the treehouse. “Well, we’re here now, and that’s all that really matters.”
“I’m excited to show this to you. I’ll go first and make sure it’s still sound.”
“Please don’t fall through rotted wood,” she says and watches as I climb the ladder. When I arrive at the top, I’m pleased to see that everything is as sound as it was the day it was built, almost thirty years ago.
“It’s good.” I look down at her. “Come on up.”
“Are you sure?”
“Totally sure. Solid as a rock.”
She climbs up the rungs and takes my proffered hand to pull herself up to the platform.
“It’s bigger than it looks,” she says.
“That’s what she said.”
She frowns at me, slaps my arm, and then giggles. “Okay, that was funny. But seriously, it’s really spacious up here.”
“We used to have furniture and all kinds of crap, but it got thrown away a long time ago. It was just a squirrel magnet and would have rotted this place quick. So, it’s just sitting here empty.”
“I like it.” She paces around the space, walks to a window and looks out over the green grass, the pond, and the house. “You got to grow up here.”
“Yeah. Pretty great, huh?”
“Pretty great.” She nods and turns to me. “How many girls have you brought up here over the years?”
I grin and rub my chin as if giving it a lot of thought. “Man, at least…one. Just you.”
She cocks a brow, and her eyes shine in approval. “I think we should have sex. Right here.”
And just like that, all of my thoughts of romantic words and confessions flee my brain, and my cock is fully alert.
“Is that right?”
She nods and backs away from the window, pulling her skirt up around her hips, then letting her panties fall to the floor. “Yeah. I’m not gonna get naked because I don’t want splinters in my back.”
“Good plan, babe.” I unzip my pants and cross to her, pinning her against the wall as I take my time kissing the ball of her shoulder, then up her neck to nibble on her earlobe.
“I don’t want it to be slow.” Her breath is airy now and catches when my fingers slide up the inside of her thigh to her wet center. “I want you to fuck me, right here, against the wall of your treehouse.”
“It would be rude of me to tell you no.”
She laughs, and then I boost her up, her legs encircling my hips as I drive into her, making us both gasp. Her mouth gapes as I sit there, buried deep, staring into her eyes.
“Mine,” I whisper.
“Yours.” She clenches. “Move, Shane. Fuck me.”
I tip my brow to hers and can’t resist her. My hips move faster and faster. With the way I’m pounding into her, it’s a damn good thing this thing is sturdy, or we’d be on the ground, twenty feet below.
Her fists clench in my hair, and she moans, long and low, as she comes around me. The ripples are fierce and nearly coax an orgasm from me.
My God, I’m lost in her. In every way.
And I’m never letting her go.
“Again.” I pull out, set her feet on the floor, and turn her away from me. “Grab the wall and hold on.”
I easily slide back inside and take us both on another ride. Her round ass is perfect in my hands as I take her from behind. I grip the hair on the back of her head and push us both harder, faster than before.
The second orgasm is more powerful than the first, and when we’ve finally caught our breath, all I can do is pull her to me and hold on.
“I should have had a bed brought up here.”
She chuckles against my chest. “That wouldn’t have been obvious at all.”
“Who cares what anyone thinks?” I tip her chin up and kiss her long and slow.
“I couldn’t agree more.”