11. The Sleepover
11
THE SLEEPOVER
TYLER
Giovanna had never stepped foot inside my house. Had I known she’d be coming over, I would’ve arranged things a little better. I’d done things like donate Mila’s clothes and get rid of all her makeup and toiletries, but I’d left photos of her around the house for the kids. And until recently, I wasn’t sure if taking the pictures down was necessary. Even now, Giovanna and I weren’t together, but something about having remnants of my ex-wife in the home made me feel guilty. Had they only been in the kids’ rooms, it would’ve been different.
My black and tan Doberman Pinscher, Fenway, heard me with a stranger at the garage door. His ferocious barking bounced off the walls as I put the key in the hole and unlocked it. I’d warned her only moments ago to let me walk in first, so he’d know she belonged. She loved animals and couldn’t follow directions whatsoever, so she pushed by me, instantly dropping to her knees in front of him.
Just when I reached out to grab her, she was talking to him with her teeth gritted in a baby voice, calling him a good boy, and introducing herself to him like he was a little human. Fenway loved it. Shocked he’d not ripped her face off, I stood there in astonishment while they formed an instant bond. He hated everyone who wasn’t related, or who he didn’t see often enough. However, if I was okay, he was too. Still, he didn’t like strangers in his face, until now.
“He’s never acted like that before,” I murmured.
She stood tall, beaming with a playful smile and a wink. “Maybe he can smell your scent all over me and knows that I belong to you.” Reaching for my face, she dragged her nail along my jawline.
“Maybe.” I squinted down at my large, once-threatening dog, scratching behind his ears as she made her way to the kitchen.
She examined the room in amazement. The under glow of the see-through cabinets provided just enough light to offer a cozy ambiance in the night. I wanted to ask what was on her mind.
Tracing her fingers along the cool, smooth surface of the grey marble island, she let out a soft sigh of appreciation. “This kitchen is absolutely stunning,” she purred, her eyes scanning every small detail of the room. Her gaze landed on the cozy breakfast nook tucked into the corner. A comfortable L-shaped bench lined one side, with three chairs gathered around a round table in the center. With a curious expression, she strolled over and lightly ran her hand along one of the chairs. Then, turning to me, she asked, “Do you guys eat as a family a lot?”
The question caught me off guard. Since Mila passed away, I’d done everything in my power to keep our home as normal as possible for the kids. It hadn’t occurred to me that they might have wanted to sit and eat as a family. The thought of the empty space at the table and the memories it held might have made them sad. So instead, we ate in the den with TV trays, watching a movie or show together during dinner. I shifted my gaze away from hers, not wanting to reveal my inner turmoil.
“Oh, shit.” She creased her brow, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay,” I lifted a hand, setting her belongings on the island, striding over to her. “I just never thought they’d want that since there’d be an empty place, but I might have been damaging them more.”
“No,” she took a step toward me, placing her hands on my chest. “When people pass, there’s no manual that comes with the kids that says how to handle it or what they want or don’t. Sometimes they don’t even know.”
I swallowed hard. “How do you know, though? I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m just asking.”
“Because when my mom walked out on my family, it was the same way.” She exhaled a shaky breath, and I took her hands in mine, still holding them against my chest. “I didn’t know what I wanted. I just missed her. My dad didn’t know how to act so he kinda just ignored me. I mean, he was there to do the father shit, like scold me when I acted dumb or threaten my teachers when they sent me home with a note. I’m sure you’ll be shocked to know, I acted out a lot,” she snickered.
I chuckled quietly.
“Um,” she glanced around, “is it safe to step outside and smoke? If I don’t smoke, I might cry right now, and I?—”
“Yeah,” I said, taking her hand in mine, “come on.”
“My cigarettes are in my bag.”
With a gentle tug, I pulled open the cluttered junk drawer and rummaged through it until I found what I was looking for, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. “We smoke the same brand,” I remarked, offering her a faint smile.
She laughed as I took her hand in mine again, leading her out of the back, sliding glass door onto the covered brick porch. “I rarely smoke,” I said, “but lately I seem to be smoking a lot more.”
“Same,” she replied, withdrawing her hand from mine.
I reached into the pack and removed two cigarettes, placing them between my lips before lighting them both. I gave one to her, our hands briefly touching as she took it. Together, we took long drags, the smoke filling our lungs.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Mr. Prescott?” A deep voice came from around the corner. Then one of Ian’s men appeared with a pistol drawn at the bottom of the four brick stairs leading up to the porch.
“Yeah,” I replied, and he lowered the weapon. “It’s just us. Sorry, I didn’t want to turn on a light and cause… exactly that.”
He holstered his gun. “Please warn us before you step out of the house.”
“Fine.” I shook my head as he disappeared around the shrubs and small trees against the house, lining a bigger, uncovered brick patio. We’d used it for entertaining often, a canopy of trees providing ample shade during the hotter summer months. I twisted back to Giovanna. “Continue from where you left off inside.”
Leaning on the half wall framing the patio, she nodded. “Anyway, I didn’t realize until I was older that my dad just didn’t know how to act when that happened.” She inhaled her cigarette again, then exhaled. “So, I can only imagine how much tougher it is in your situation. I’m sure you’ve been busy just trying to keep things as normal as possible.”
“I have,” I admitted with a sheepish grin, “and truthfully, I’m sure I’m not even a good cook.”
Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she tilted her head and said, “I’ll teach ya!” Her tone quickly shifted to seriousness. “Sorry, that’s overstepping into territory that’s more than just friends with benefits.”
I took a step closer to her, the soft glow of the kitchen lights casting a warm and intimate aura around us. My gaze locked onto hers as I replied, “I never said we were friends.”
“Excuse me,” she mocked with a playful eye roll, “that’s overstepping into territory that’s not us just fucking each other’s brains out and making each other cum repeatedly for hours and hours whenever we want?—”
“Shut the fuck up.” Dropping my cigarette on the porch, I crashed my lips into hers, causing her to drop hers too. Cupping the back of her neck, I held her against me, tasting the lingering smoke.
She moaned into the kiss, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pulled me closer. The kiss was desperate and passionate, as if we were trying to consume each other.
I pulled back, my chest heaving, and she was panting just as hard. Her eyes were dilated, and her lips swollen. I didn’t know what was happening between us, but it was undeniable and all-consuming.
“Fuck,” I whispered, “I can’t keep my hands off you.”
She smirked, running her fingers through my hair. “Well, I can’t complain either.”
I chuckled and pulled her close again, deepening the kiss. The night air was cool against our skin, but the heat between us was overwhelming. It was evident we were both aware of the dynamic shifting with us. We couldn’t deny the chemistry, but I still stood firm on not wanting to ever be in a relationship to protect her.
She pulled away, her breathing ragged. “We should probably get back inside,” she said, trying to sound innocent, but the lust in her eyes betrayed her. “I know us being out here would stress out your brother-in-law.”
Reality hit me again like a ton of bricks. Stress was the last thing I wanted to cause anyone. I needed to try my best to emotionally distance myself from her. By now, the Russians were probably looking for her, and it wasn’t safe to be anywhere, including my house. I wasn’t about to add to the danger by getting too attached to her, and my number one priority tonight was to keep her safe from any harm.
As we stepped back inside, I picked up her belongings off the island, leading her upstairs. I refrained from touching her at all. We passed by family photos in the wide hallway and a small accent table before climbing a narrow set of stairs to the third floor.
“You’ll be safe up here, and your safety is all I care about tonight.” I lifted my chin toward a single door. “The bathroom’s in there. Linens are in the closet. Make yourself at home. Text or call if you need me.”
Setting her belongings on the white chair in the corner of the room, I almost changed my mind. I wanted to grab her and take her to my bed, knowing I’d be able to protect her more if I had an eye on her, but I also needed us to get through the night alive. Hiding her away was the best option. If the drama with the Mussolini family taught me anything, it was to hope no one showed up at my house but to prepare for the unexpected.
When I turned to see her staring at me, I could tell something was on her mind, but I knew I needed to get out of the room as soon as possible.
“Are you going to be okay?” she asked, stroking the tattoo that stretched down her arm.
“Yeah, because I’m not taking any chances when it comes to you.” Reaching behind me, I pulled out my gun, laying it on the nightstand. “This’ll keep you safe. If anything happens, please use it.”
She let out a breathless laugh, plodding over to her bag. She unzipped it, stuck both her hands in, and extracted two guns: a pink and silver revolver and a pink and black pistol. “You forgetting who my fam is?”
“Pink,” I snorted, amused at the color and proud of her for making sure she’d been looking after herself, “of course.”
She snickered. “Of course.”
“Right,” I sighed, picking up my gun, placing it back in the holster, and then walking toward the door. “Get some sleep. God only knows what’ll go down tomorrow.”
I didn’t give her the luxury of replying. If I didn’t leave the room, I would’ve fucked her again. She was a drug, and I was an addict. It was the reason I waited around for her after the first night and forced myself to put my job before a random woman I’d just met. Right now, I had to stay focused.
Security and I checked in one final time for the night before I showered and got in bed. Seventeen cameras were situated around the perimeter of the half-acre property on the brick privacy wall. Another ten were on the exterior of the eight thousand square-foot home. Every door and window contained an armed alarm that would trigger any glass breaking or opening in the slightest. No one was getting in or out unless I allowed them. The only people with a key besides me were Ian, Jenna, and my oldest son, Jackson.
After showering and getting in bed, I stared at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity. I couldn’t get the way she looked at me when I barged into that room at Luxe, out of my head. She was prepared, with a killer instinct she’d been born with. Still, I wanted to protect her, to be close to her.
Since Mila passed, sleep didn’t come easy for me. I often stayed awake at night. Now, I couldn’t sleep because the woman I wanted to be with for so long was under my roof and I couldn’t allow myself to fully give in. I kept telling myself it was for her safety.
We’d continued to have sex against my better judgement and using her for sex seemed so heartless compared to the way I felt about her, but if it was all I could have, I couldn’t deny it.
CRASH!
A loud noise came from outside my bedroom window. Leaping out of bed, I threw on the black sweatpants on the chair, then grabbed my gun off the nightstand. My phone buzzed on the table, and I bent over, picking it up and placing it to my ear.
What the fuck was that? I hissed in a low voice to security.
Sorry if we woke you. Jason tripped over an uneven brick on the patio and hit the table.
You guys need to be more careful out there! I’m already on edge tonight.
Sorry again. I’ll make sure we don’t bother you for the rest of the night but just a head’s up, we’ve seen a few of the same cars driving by multiple times so we’ll keep an eye out and let you know if it’s cause for concern.
Thanks.
Huffing, I scanned the empty room before my eyes lowered to my gun. Happy my kids were away for the night, I mumbled, “Fuck this,” then trekked down the hallway to the back stairs, pausing. I thought about going up to her, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Closing my eyes, I fought off the feelings, forcing myself back to reality. I took the stairs to the right, leading down to the family room. When I entered, there was a silhouette standing against the ceiling-to-floor windows, hands in his pockets. I drew my gun, aiming it at the figure. I’d not heard the alarm or an alert.
“I wouldn’t kill me if I were you,” he rumbled.
“What the fuck, bro?” I lowered the weapon seconds before putting a bullet in the back of Ian’s head. “Were you the one who made all the noise outside?”
“What? No. I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to interrupt you and Gia fucking so I let myself in,” he muttered.
Ignoring the statement, I reached over, tapping the arm of the silver touch lamp on the end table by the couch. “Couldn’t turn on a fucking lamp?”
The room illuminated and he narrowed his gaze on mine. “Where’s Fenway? He didn’t bark.”
“What the hell?” Brow furrowed, I darted my eyes back and forth. “Fenway?” I called out but was quiet enough so my voice wouldn’t carry to the third floor. “I have no i?—”
A collar jingled, and Ian’s eyes brightened as he peered behind me. I twisted around to see Giovanna emerge with my dog at her side.
“Sorry, he was scratching at the door, and I let him in,” she smiled sheepishly, “but I couldn’t sleep. By the way, he’s a big baby.” She came to a stop next to me, folding her arms. “Hi, Mr. Knight.”
He rolled his eyes, bending over to rub Fenway as he approached him. “I need to speak to you both.”
We exchanged a confused, slightly worried glance. He dipped his head toward the sitting area. I extended my hand, and she sat on the blue sofa. Following, I sat next to her, our legs touching. Ian took the closest cream-colored accent chair. Tapping the chair’s arms with his fingers, he lowered his eyes to our laps, and that’s when I realized I had a palm resting on her thigh. I didn’t bother to remove it.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Ian pursed his lips, bobbing his head. “I have good news and bad news.”
“Oh no,” she exhaled.
“The good news is, you didn’t kill Ivan, so we’ve evaded that shit,” he continued with a grin, and I was confused at his amusement. “I know you were aiming to kill, but I couldn’t let him die at that moment.”
She nodded, and I looked at her with slightly wide eyes.
“He got the medical attention he needed, and I had to threaten the shit out of him to even get him to keep his mouth shut.” He flickered his gaze. “If he talks or makes one minor wrong move, it’s over for him, and he knows. I spent some time doing my own digging and found something that could bury that entire family. For now, I’m hanging on to that information until I need to use it one day.” He shrugged a shoulder. “We’re still not out of the woods yet, but I have a plan.”
“Is this something I need to know?” I asked, brow furrowed.
He shook his head. “For now, no.”
Though I trusted him, I also hated when he kept secrets. He’d done it so many times in the past and had he been open with me from the beginning, I could’ve prevented a couple of issues. Maybe I could’ve taken down a few more of the Mussolini’s faster.
But what was done was done. And now, I’d do what I could to keep everyone protected because I sure as hell wasn’t going to question him about severely private matters in front of Giovanna.
He cleared his throat. “Is there something I need to know?”
She and I glimpsed one another. “No,” I replied, “we’re just friends.”
“I feel like I’m in déjà vu land with Chance and Amber,” he mumbled.
“What?” she asked.
He stood, smoothing out his black button-up shirt. “Nothing.”
We stood simultaneously before she spoke. “Wait,” she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then crossed her arms tightly over her midsection. “If that was the good news, what’s the bad news?”
“The bad news is you’ve pissed off a lot of girls at the club with your return and,” he darted his eyes between us, “whatever this is. Victoria’s spreading rumors.”
“I don’t give a fuck what she’s doing!” Giovanna barked, causing Ian and me to widen our eyes in shock. “Sorry,” she continued, her hands on her hips. “I mean how can I fix it?”
“I’m not telling you to fix shit,” he scoffed. “You had our backs, and I got yours. So, whatever this is,” he pointed at us both, “makes you untouchable. Just handle it yourself, but if any more blood is to be spilled in Euphoria or Luxe, it better be because I ordered it. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Mr. Knight.” She bowed her head ever so slightly.
He waved his hand dismissively. “I think we can be a little more informal away from work now.”
She smiled. “I’ll try.”
He took his phone out of his pocket, looking at the screen. “That’s Jenna asking where I am. I should get home.” He tapped on the phone for a moment before slipping it back into his pocket.
“I’ll walk you out,” I said.
Giovanna shifted her weight. “Who does Kat think stabbed him?”
Ian paused, gnawing the inside of his cheek for a moment before he replied. “Me.”
She gasped. “She’ll kill you!”
He grinned ominously. “I count on her eventually trying, and I’m prepared.”
“I’m not okay with that,” Giovanna replied sheepishly. “This is my battle. I caused this.”
“Gia,” he sighed, “it became my battle the minute you walked through the door of my club with Luke.” He bit back a grin, glancing at me before turning back to her. “But regardless of that, I protect what’s important to my family.”
I gnawed the inside of my cheek, fighting back telling him everything. Offering her a quick half-smile, I followed him outside to his car. Two of the security guards were posted on the front porch while Nico leaned on the outside of Ian’s Range Rover. As we approached, I arched a brow.
“He dragged you outta bed for this visit?” I asked.
Nico chuckled. “You know I never sleep anyway, and Ice Man’s resting.”
I nodded as he got back in the car. Ian twisted toward me. I knew that look, but I didn’t want to say anything in case there was a small chance I was wrong.
“I like her for you,” he commented.
Huffing, I shook my head. “Jade said the same thing.”
“Listen,” he lit a cigarette before he blew out a smooth grey cloud to the side. “I’ve been cautious, but I know she’s a good person. Jenna wouldn’t shut up about her. Luke, Jade, Chance, and Amber love her.” He smiled. “And as weird as it sounds, I think you fell in love with her the night you met her.”
“No, I?—”
“Shut up,” he quipped. “My point is, fuck whatever’s stopping you. You missed your chance to be with her before, so why miss it twice? Fuck your guilt. Harsh facts, you’re wicked miserable by not allowing yourself to be happy. I didn’t like Mila anyway, and she’s not coming back.” He shrugged. “I only tolerated her for you. She was too clean for this family.”
“What the fuck?” I grumbled. “Was there some family meeting I wasn’t invited to that you all decided you’d say the same shit to me when you got me alone?”
Brows pinched together, he took a drag of the cigarette, then lowered it to his side. “No, it’s because we know you and we want you to be happy.”
“Ian,” I ran my fingers through my hair, “I can’t be with her. I need to protect her.”
“With you, she’ll be as protected as she can possibly ever be. You think some Harvard dork can protect her?”
“I am a Harvard dork!” I rolled my eyes.
“Fair point. Okay, well, what happens when she finds another guy? Are you going to be okay with that?”
Fuck , I thought. No. Of course not . “She’s free to do whatever she wants.”
He shook his head. “Your face just screwed into about eight facial expressions,” he yanked the driver door open, “and none of them were happy.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued, “Stop being paranoid. Whatever happens, we got her back because she belongs to you. And if that doesn’t make you feel comfortable, I got her back regardless, because she’s got ours.”
“I’ll think about it.” It was all I could say.
Plopping down into the car, he leaned an elbow out of the already open window. “Whatever you do, you two better hide your attraction for a while at work. I don’t want to provoke another fight while things are so sensitive.”
I nodded once.
“And for fuck’s sake,” he furrowed his brow, “stop getting weird about her grinding on other men. If I can accept Jenna doing it, you can accept Gia doing it.”