Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
~ELENA~
T he window’s open. I can hear the water churning below and the seagulls’ calls as they fly overhead, searching for breakfast.
I reach my arms over my head and push against Archer’s tufted headboard, stretching sleep away. I’m quickly getting accustomed to these Saturday mornings off work. It never really bothered me to work every day, but sleeping in once in a while has its perks.
One of the benefits is morning sex. But when I roll toward Archer’s side of the bed, I’m met with cool sheets instead of his warm body.
I open my eyes and sit up, pushing my hair back to glance around the spacious bedroom then out to the deck.
He’s not there either.
I pad naked into the bathroom, and once I’ve brushed my teeth and used the facilities, I pull on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt then go in search of Archer.
There’s still time for a morning romp.
I grin at the thought. When we were younger, morning sex wasn’t something we could indulge in. We never lived together, despite being legally married for just shy of a week.
But now, sex is on the table any time of day, and in the four days I’ve been staying here, we’ve taken advantage often.
It hasn’t quenched my thirst for him. If anything, the regular sexcapades have only made me want more.
I’ve turned into a wanton woman. Well, where Archer’s concerned anyway.
I swing by the kitchen that’s quickly become my favorite room in the house, aside from the perfect balcony where I sit and watch the ocean, and fill a glass of water.
I can hear thumping coming from downstairs, so I follow the noise.
I turn a corner, and there he is, in the workout room, punching a bag that hangs from the ceiling. He’s shirtless, wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants that look as if they’ve been through war. At some point, he cut them off just above the knee. The drawstring is pulled and tied, keeping them low on his hips.
That V that women go on and on about? Yeah, it’s there. Along with a six-pack that would make the gods weep.
I lean against the doorjamb and sip my water as I watch him beat the shit out of that bag. I wonder who he’s picturing in his head as he throws the punches.
Whoever it is, he’s cleaning their clock.
I’d ask him, but he has earbuds in. So I settle in to watch.
He stops punching and, to my amazement, immediately falls down into the push-up position, easily pumping out twenty reps as if it’s nothing at all. He’s breathing hard and sweating like crazy, but his body moves with such fluidity that he makes it look easy.
His muscles bulge as he moves from push-ups to a hanging bar, where he executes ten pull-ups and then turns back to the bag.
Jesus.
Who knew? I mean, his incredible body is obvious. I’ve been with him, naked, several times now. I’ve touched him everywhere. I know what he looks like.
But watching him go through the motions that help to keep him in stellar shape does things to my already overstimulated libido.
So, I set the water on the hardwood floor just inside the door and strip out of my clothes. The motion must catch his eye because he turns my way, breathing hard, sweaty. His eyes narrow on me.
He pulls the buds out of his ears and tosses them aside just before I dash to him and jump against him, wrapping my legs around his waist as I clamp my mouth to his.
“Whoa,” he says in surprise and stumbles back, but catches himself and sits on a bench with me situated on his thighs. “Good morning.”
“Fuck me.” I bite his bottom lip and scoot back on his legs to tug at the drawstring of his sweats. “Right now.”
“Never was good at telling you no.” He grins and helps me work his shorts down his hips. When he springs free, I pump him twice with my fist before rising up and lowering myself over him, making us both moan in delight. “Jesus, babe.”
“So hot,” I chant as I ride him, fast and hard. “So fucking hot.”
I’m clenching around his hard length. I can feel the orgasm building in me, the power that flows whenever we’re together like this. I don’t want to slow down. I don’t want to stop.
I want to make him lose his mind.
He pushes a hand between us and presses his thumb against my clit. I can’t hold back any longer. I explode around him, crying out as I shiver and grind down. To my delight, he pulls me against him hard and comes, as well.
We’re a panting, writhing heap.
It’s fucking glorious.
“Hi,” he says and kisses my collarbone.
“Hi, yourself.”
“What happened?”
“Saw you working out.”
His bright blue eyes fly to mine. “That’s it?”
“That’s all it takes, champ.”
His lips twitch as I pull away and stand, freeing him from the bench.
“And why is that?”
“Do you need me to stroke your ego?”
“You already did that.” He tugs up his shorts and ties the drawstring.
“Okay, look.” I pull my T-shirt on and prop my hands on my hips. “You’ve always been hot. Like, stupid hot. You were so good-looking that it was almost unfair.”
“Keep going.” He grins, his arms crossed over his chest, clearly delighted by this conversation.
“Somehow, you’re better-looking now than you ever were. And I don’t know how that’s possible. Like, did you sell your soul to the devil or something?”
“No.”
“I’m not complaining. I want you to know that this is not me complaining, not in the least. But I don’t understand it. It’s a mystery. Anyway, you’ve only managed to improve with age, and then I came down here looking for you and found you doing”—I wave my arms around—“this.”
“What?”
“Punching the hell out of that bag, and push-ups like they’re your job. And that .” I point at the pull-up bar. “With your back muscles flexing and everything.”
“So, you like it when I work out.”
He tips his head to the side, watching me.
“Yeah.” I swallow hard and nod once. “Yeah, I do.”
“Good to know.” He grabs a towel off a shelf and wipes down his face and neck. “I’ve been training pretty hard with Ben in Seattle. It’s how I’m able to eat pretty much what I want and not gain a gut.”
“Who’s Ben?”
I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he takes a drink of water.
Damn, I have it bad.
“You’ve been gone a long time,” he says, but there’s no censure in his voice. “I’ll give you the CliffsNotes version. My cousin Jules married Nate. Nate’s dad owned a gym in downtown Seattle, but he recently retired, and Ben bought it. Ben is Matt’s wife’s best friend.”
I blink at him, not following at all.
“I’m gonna need a diagram. I think your family tree is more confusing than mine.”
“There are days I need a diagram, too.”
“Well, whoever Ben is, I like him.”
“I can’t believe you’ve never been here,” Archer says later that evening. We’re sitting in the dining room at the resort’s restaurant. It sits on the cliffs, looking out over the Pacific Ocean. We have a window seat where we can watch the birds and sea life below.
“I came to the resort for a massage a few years ago,” I reply and sip my crisp white wine. “That’s how I met Lindsey. But I’ve never had a reason to come up for anything else. Certainly not a fancy dinner.”
“The steak’s good.”
I grin. “My salmon was great, too.”
“I know.” He eyes the last of my apple pie. “I stole a bite when you went to the restroom. Are you going to finish that?”
“Yes.” I eat the pie and watch as his eyes round and then look sad. “Aw, poor guy.”
“It’s okay, I’ll take some home for later.”
We don’t hurry. When more wine is offered, we accept it and linger over the candlelight and conversation.
“How are your parents?” I ask, realizing that I haven’t inquired about them before this.
“Good,” he says. “Dad had a heart attack last year. Gave us a scare. But he’s recovered, and Mom has him eating mostly rabbit food, much to his dismay.”
“I always liked them,” I murmur. “I’m glad that everyone is doing so well and that your dad recovered from his heart attack.”
I regret not being there for Archer during what I know was probably a terrifying time.
“Why did you sell your fishing boat?”
He sips his wine. “I was offered a lot of money from one of the bigger operations. I was sick of spending the majority of the year at sea, away from the family. It was time to be a land dweller, and real estate always interested me.”
“We used to spend hours driving past places for sale,” I say, remembering back. “And going on that Parade of Homes, daydreaming our way through gorgeous places.”
“I still do that,” he says. “I love what I do now. It’s not nearly as smelly, the income is steadier, and I’m around for the family whenever they need me.”
“You always did take care of everyone around you, Archer. Even me.” I finish my wine. “You’re still taking care of me, it seems.”
He looks like he’s about to say something, but we’re interrupted.
“Hey, guys.” Lindsey grins as she approaches the table. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I could say the same about you,” I reply. “You don’t usually work this late.”
“I had a late client, and then I had some inventory to do. Being the boss sucks sometimes.” Her gaze shifts between Archer and me, but I don’t offer any information.
I know I’ll get drilled later.
“So,” Lindsey says, “Archer didn’t leave town, after all.”
“Nope,” he says with his charming grin. “Ally decided she wanted me to stick around for a while.”
“He’s like the plague,” I reply. “He just never goes away.”
Lindsey laughs. “Must be nice, having someone so handsome sticking close.”
“Don’t make his head any bigger than it already is.”
Lindsey’s cell rings, and she checks it. “Sorry, have to take this. Have a nice dinner.”
She waves and hurries away to take her call.
“She’ll insist on lunch soon so she can ask all the nosy questions that friends do.” I watch as Archer signs his name on the receipt. “Which is fine. She’s a good friend.”
“I’m glad you have someone here. I hate the thought of you being alone.”
“I have Lindsey and my coworkers, who are all great. I have a fulfilling life here, Arch. I’m not sad or bored.”
“I’m glad.”
The waiter brings out to-go boxes full of desserts, and we stand to leave. As we walk out the door to the parking lot, Archer’s phone rings.
“Hello? Yes, she’s right here.”
He passes the cell to me, just as a car catches my eye. It’s the black SUV. A man is in the driver’s seat, but the windows are tinted enough that I can’t see his face.
And the license plate is from Washington.
My stomach jumps into my throat.
“Ally?”
I look up at Archer. “Yeah?”
“Phone’s for you.”
“Oh, right.” I take it from him and fumble with it before pressing it to my ear. “This is Ally.”
“This is detective Garcia. I wanted to update you on the case. We arrested two suspects today. When we found your iPad in the backpack of one of the boys, they confessed to the break-in and robbery of your house.”
“Wow.” I blink at Archer as he holds the car door open for me. “Thank you so much. I didn’t even realize my iPad was missing.”
“It had your name on it,” he says. “Inside the cover.”
“That’s mine. I appreciate your work on this, detective.”
“You can pick up the iPad at the station anytime.”
“Thank you.”
I hang up and sit in the car, then pass Archer his phone.
“Good news?” he asks.
“It was kids, after all.” I fill him in on what the detective told me. “So, yeah, good news.”
“That’s great.”
He starts the car and pulls out of the parking space. The SUV is gone.
Part of me knows I’m being ridiculous. This is a resort. People vacation here from all over the place, including Washington. In fact, it’s likely someone from Washington would come here because it’s within driving distance. It’s probably a family who came down for a long weekend at the beach.
That’s what common sense tells me.
It’s most likely not someone from my family in their typical mafia-style vehicle, looking for me.
The odds of that are incredibly slim.
But the odds aren’t zero, either. And my gut says something’s coming.
My instincts are rarely wrong.
Summers at Grandma’s are the best. I get to come here with my cousins—Carmine, Shane, and Rocco—and we can do whatever we want for two whole months.
The servants keep our pantry stocked with our favorite snacks. The treehouse has been mended and remodeled over the spring, ready for us to wreak havoc in it, pretending to be pirates or knights of the round table.
We can play down at the beach during low tide, searching for treasures.
And in the evenings, we have movies and popcorn until we fall asleep.
We look forward to it more than Christmas. More than anything.
“Come on, Elena,” Carmine calls, gesturing for me to follow him. Carmine is the oldest—and the smartest. I love all of my cousins, but Carmine is my favorite. He lets me tag along almost anywhere.
The other boys get tired of me.
Carmine never does.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he says and stops to wait for me to catch up. He takes my hand and leads me down a path in the woods next to Grandma’s house. “You know I’d never let anything bad happen.”
“I know, but what if there are bears? Or tigers?”
“Tigers don’t live in North America,” he says and holds a branch out of my way so it doesn’t smack me in the face. “But if we see a bear, I’ll fight him off.”
I laugh at him. “Right. Like you could fight a bear.”
“Hey, I’ve been working out.” He flexes, showing me his fourteen-year-old muscles. “And no matter what, I’ll always keep you safe, Elena. The family won’t let anything happen to you.”
“My father might,” I admit in a small voice. “He’s not very nice.”
“Does he hit you?”
“No.” I shake my head and shiver when the sun slips behind a cloud, making the woods cold. “No, he just says mean things sometimes.”
“My dad says your dad’s an asshole,” Carmine admits. “I overheard him. At least you can always come here with us. And you can be away from there for a couple of months.”
“This is the best time ever,” I agree. “I’m getting tired. Where are we going?”
“Almost there.”
His hand tightens around mine as he leads me into a clearing. Suddenly, I’m not a child anymore. I’m a woman.
And in the clearing is scaffolding with a hanging rope.
Archer stands behind the rope with his hands tied behind his back.
“What’s going on?” I demand, staring up at Carmine. “What are you doing?”
“He’s taking your punishment,” Carmine says grimly, staring up at Archer. “For running from us. For staying away.”
“Grandma—”
“Is dead,” Carmine says, cutting me off. “She can’t protect you anymore.”
I stare in horror at the man I love. His blue eyes are full of sorrow as he mouths, I love you.
I love you, too, I mouth back.
“Please don’t do this, Carmine.”
“It’s already done.”
He flicks his hand, and suddenly, Archer’s neck is in the noose, and he’s hanging, jerking about.
“NOOOOO! No no no no!”
I run toward him, but it’s pitch-black now, and I’m falling. Falling and falling. Into what, I don’t know.
“Archer!”
“He’s not here,” Carmine whispers in my ear. “He can’t save you, Elena. Only we can. Only the family can help you.”
“The family is a disease,” I stammer as I cry out. “And I want nothing to do with it.”
I sit up, dripping with sweat. Cool air blows in through the window and across my skin.
“Baby,” Archer says, kissing my cheek. “It’s okay. It was only a dream. You’re safe.”
“I need some water.”
“I’ll get it.”
“It’s okay.” I kiss his cheek and then hurry from the bed, anxious to get out of the bedroom and away from Archer. “I’ll be right back.”
I snag my robe off a chair as I walk out to the kitchen. I pull it around me, tighten the belt, and rather than stop at the sink, I keep walking out to the deck to lean on the railing of the balcony.
I can’t see the water. There’s no moon tonight.
But I can hear it, and it soothes me.
I take several deep breaths, willing my heart to calm down. Archer was right, it was only a dream. He’s alive and well, and so am I.
Everything’s fine.
I hear the door behind me, but I don’t turn to him. He slips his arms around my waist from behind and kisses the top of my head.
“Wanna talk it out?”
“No.” I turn and bury my face in his chest as I wrap my arms around him, holding on with all my might. “I just need you to hold me. Out here, like this.”
“For as long as you need, sweetheart.”