Chapter 12
Vander leaned back in the chair and sipped his coffee. Around him, laughter and chatter echoed in the cozy kitchen.
“Then bam.” Justin thumped the kitchen table, rattling plates. “Brynn mows through them. There were groaning bodies everywhere.”
Brynn sniffed. “I was in a rush, and they were trying to stop me.”
Everyone laughed.
Justin grinned. “Do not get between that woman and her husband.”
They were clustered around Alessandra and Justin’s kitchen table.
When they’d arrived, despite it being very late—or very early, depending how you looked at it—Alessandra hadn’t blinked an eye.
She’d leaped into action and cooked up a massive breakfast—eggs, bacon, toast, fruit.
Everyone was eating and drinking juice and coffee.
Haven was sitting on Rhys’ lap. Justin’s paramedic friend had come and checked Rhys over. He had a mild concussion, and his wife had instructions to monitor him for the next twenty-four hours. Now that he wasn’t running and fighting for his life, he seemed fine.
Vander slid an arm across the back of Brynn’s chair and played with her hair. She sipped her juice and sent him a smile.
God, she was something. She made everything worthwhile. She’d come for him, and once again proved her toughness, competence, and protectiveness.
She was going to be a hell of a mother.
And any time he got shaky, she’d be there. His other half, holding him steady.
He vowed to himself that he wouldn’t let her down. Or their unborn child.
“I have an announcement to make,” he said.
Everyone looked his way.
“First, I wanted to thank my wife for coming to save me and Rhys.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Any time, Norcross.”
He stroked her cheek, then looked at his friend. “Justin, thank you for helping her. I can never repay you.”
“Never leave a man behind,” Justin echoed the unspoken motto of their Ghost Ops team. “I’ve always got your back.”
“And I’ve always got yours. Any chance you want a job at Norcross Security? You guys might like San Francisco.”
Justin tugged his wife onto his lap. “I like the slower pace of life here on Sicily, and Alessandra’s family is here.”
Vander nodded. “The offer is always open.” He switched his gaze to his sister-in-law. “Haven, I know you helped, too. Thank you.”
Haven waved a hand in the air. “I barely did anything. I flew a drone and made a phone call.”
“You did great, angel.” Rhys nuzzled her throat.
“And my final announcement—” Vander paused “—Brynn is pregnant. We’re having a baby.”
“What?” Haven leaped up, her mouth dropping open. “Are you serious?” She raced around the table to Brynn and hugged her, squealing with excitement.
Alessandra clapped her hands together. “A bebè.” She shot a glance sideways at her husband. “Maybe we should think about it?”
Justin straightened. “You want me to put a baby in your belly, bella, just say the word.”
With a laugh, she kissed him noisily.
“I’m so happy for you.” Then Haven froze, her eyes widening. “You still went to Navarro’s knowing you were pregnant.”
“I had to get our men back. I minimized the risks as much as I could.”
“And she’s a badass.” Vander tugged on her hair again. “But promise me, no more gunfights, or knife fights, or hand-to-hand combat for the foreseeable future.”
She looked up at him. “As long as you don’t get abducted or blow up any villas again.”
His lips quirked. “Deal. Now, let’s finish breakfast.” He lowered his voice and pressed his lips to her ear. He nipped her earlobe, knowing she was sensitive there. “Then we’ll get home to our villa, where I’m planning to fuck my wife in the shower, then in our bed. More than once.”
Her heated blue gaze met his. “You’d better eat fast.”
She clamped her legs on Vander’s hips, her gaze locked on his as he moved inside her.
“Love you,” he murmured.
Brynn arched up, loving the way he filled her. “Love you, too.”
He gripped one of her legs, extended it up, then pressed it to his shoulder. He slid deeper and she moaned.
They weren’t in a rush, and he was taking his time, savoring every touch and thrust.
“So damn beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you when you’re making love to me,” she murmured.
His lips twitched, his dark-blue gaze filled with emotion. He shifted a hand between their straining bodies, found her clit, and rubbed. “Let’s see how much more beautiful you can get.”
His thrusts picked up speed, and she moaned again. His fingers stroked her with the exact pressure that drove her out of her mind. She gripped his firm shoulders, sensations firing through her.
“Vander.”
“Come with me, baby.”
She flew apart. Her body shook and she cried his name. Pleasure swamped her.
She didn’t look away as he found his own release. His cock deep inside her, his big body bowed, he found his climax.
God, she could watch him forever.
Finally, he rolled off her and pulled her close. He pressed his face to her neck. Lazily, Brynn ran her hands over his skin and pressed her mouth to his shoulder. Her fingers danced along the edge of the bandage she’d wrapped on the graze on his arm.
They lay there, enjoying each other.
Then he shifted, his big hand resting on her stomach. He moved down the bed and pressed a kiss just below her navel.
Her heart clenched. She sifted her fingers through his dark hair. There was no hesitation or tension in him. He already seemed more at ease about her pregnancy. “You’re going to be a wonderful, overprotective daddy.”
“And you’ll be a wonderful mother.”
Brynn stretched on the sheets. “Can we stay here for the rest of the day?”
“Sounds like a good idea.” His voice was low with a husky edge. “Or we could take a swim in the pool?”
“Sounds nice.” After leaving Justin’s, they’d returned to their villa, showered, and furiously fucked twice, before taking a nap.
They’d shared a light lunch in the sunshine by the pool.
They’d planned to swim, but had gotten distracted.
Okay, Brynn had shed her bikini top, and Vander had gotten distracted. They’d ended up back in bed.
Suddenly, voices sounded in the living room.
“Yoo-hoo! Vander? Brynn? Where are you?”
Brynn froze. “Is that your mother?”
Vander made a low growling sound and closed his eyes. “Yes.”
“What the—?” How was her mother-in-law here in Italy?
Vander knifed out of the bed and quickly yanked on some cargo shorts.
“Vander?” His mom’s voice was getting closer.
Crap. Brynn sat up and wrapped herself in the top sheet.
He strode to the bedroom door and cracked it open. “Ma?”
“What are you two doing in bed at this time of day?” Clara Norcross exclaimed. “It’s barely after lunch.”
Brynn closed her eyes. She adored her mother-in-law, but the woman had no boundaries when it came to her kids. This wasn’t the first time she’d caught Brynn and Vander naked.
“We’ll be out in a minute,” Vander said. “Is Dad here, too?”
“Yes, he’s in the living room. Haven called us yesterday. She was panicked and said you and Rhys had been abducted.” Clara made an annoyed sound. “I knew you and Rhys would be fine, but we decided to come just in case.”
Brynn snatched up some panties, and hopping on one foot, yanked them on. Then she grabbed a sundress off the floor and raced to the bathroom. She quickly freshened up and dressed. She had stubble burn in a few interesting places, but nothing she could do about that.
When she opened the door, Vander stood by the bed, now wearing a black T-shirt with his cargo shorts. He was staring at the floor.
He lifted his head and met her gaze. “Sorry.”
Brynn laughed. “We’ve been married long enough that I know what your family is like.”
His lips twitched and he took her hand. “She’s going to horn in on the end of our vacation.”
Curling into him, Brynn kissed his jaw. “She loves you. Loves us.”
“And I love you.”
In the living room, they didn’t just find Ethan and Clara Norcross, but Vander’s older brother Easton and his wife Harlow, along with Vander’s sister, Gia.
Brynn blinked.
“Good to see you both in one piece,” Gia exclaimed, her dark curls pulled up in an effortless, stylish pile on top of her head. She kissed Vander’s cheek before hugging Brynn.
A second later, the French doors to the pool opened and Haven and Rhys arrived.
“Sorry,” Haven said, looking flustered. “I forgot to tell you that I called the family last night. Not that I was expecting them to turn up here.”
“We came on the jet,” Easton said. “Just in case you needed us.”
The oldest Norcross sibling looked like a more polished, serious version of Vander. He wore dark slacks and a blue shirt. Even when he wasn’t in a suit, he still carried an air of authority befitting of the oldest brother and successful businessman.
“Saxon wanted to come too,” Gia said of her husband, “but he needed to hold down the fort at Norcross Security.” She sank gracefully onto the arm of the couch. “But I wasn’t going to miss a trip to Italy.” She smiled. “One word, shopping. Harlow and I have plans.”
Easton’s curvaceous blonde wife nodded. “I’m glad you guys are all okay.”
A loud woof sounded.
A Belgian Malinois dog bounded into the room, heading straight for Vander.
“Hey, sit,” he ordered.
Shadow sat, powerful tan-and-black body wriggling. Vander leaned over and gave the dog a long rub.
Brynn smiled. She loved this family. They were loud, loving, and often in-your-face, but always there for each other.
“I can’t believe some mafia idiota abducted my boys.” Clara sniffed. “So rude.”
“We’re all fine, Ma,” Vander said.
“Because your clever wife came and sorted things out.”
Brynn bit the inside of her mouth. Vander shook his head, and Rhys didn’t bother to hide his grin.
Easton glanced at Vander, then Rhys. “What happened exactly?”
Vander gave his brother a chin lift. “I’ll give you an update.”
“I want one, too,” their father added. Ethan Norcross was tall and strong like his sons, with a handsome face, and salt-and-pepper hair.
Clara grabbed Vander’s cheeks. “I’ll make lasagna.”
“Ma, we’re in Sicily. We’ll go out.”
She sniffed. “No one will make it like I do.”
Vander smiled. “I know.”
Then her gaze sharpened on Rhys. “Rhys, you have a bandage on your head. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Ma.”
“What happened?”
“Just a little bump.” Rhys looked a little panicked.
Brynn knew Clara would fuss over him incessantly.
Then Rhys glanced around and his gaze settled on Brynn. He smiled. “Hey, Ma, we have something very special to celebrate.”
Oh no. Brynn shook her head at her brother-in-law.
Clara’s gaze narrowed. “Celebrate what?”
“That you’re finally going to be a grandmother.”
Brynn grabbed her husband’s hand and squeezed. He squeezed back.
Clara gasped. Her gaze moved to Haven like a laser.
Haven held her hands up. “Not me.”
“Vander and Brynn are pregnant,” Rhys announced.
Clara made a strangled sound and turned to them with wide eyes. Then she started to cry. “A grandbaby?”
“Ma.” Vander moved to his mother and hugged her.
“My baby is having a baby. I thought the day would never come!” She sobbed some more.
A moment later, Brynn was engulfed in a perfumed hug. She met her husband’s gaze over Clara’s head. She knew her mother-in-law would instantly start trying to feed her all the time. For a brief moment, Brynn almost wished she was back battling Navarro’s men.
“Okay.” Clara patted Brynn’s back. “You need to eat. It’s important. You’re growing a small human being. I’m making lasagna, and garlic bread, and cannoli. We need to celebrate.” She hurried to the kitchen.
Vander wrapped an arm around Brynn. “Sorry.”
“Let her have her moment.” She tipped her face up and studied her husband. He looked…happy. All the tension and stress were gone. The distance between them was a thing of the past.
It looked like coming on vacation had been the right choice after all, even if things hadn’t quite gone according to plan.
“There’s barely anything in this pantry,” Clara shouted from the kitchen. “Ethan, we need to find a grocery store.”
Stifling a laugh, Brynn wrapped her arms around Vander and pressed her face to his chest. She felt his chest shaking with silent laughter.
Right here and now, she had everything she’d ever wanted and life was good.
I hope you enjoyed Vander and Brynn’s vacation adventure!