Chapter Eleven
Maggie
I wake to a warm hand touching my face.
For a second, I think I’m still dreaming, the kind of dream that leaves heat pooling low in my stomach. But then my eyes open, and Severin is right there beside me, smiling with those adorable but hot as fuck dimples.
My breath stutters. Oh God. He’s in my bed. And I slept with him.
A flush creeps up my neck so fast it almost burns. My brain scrambles to replay last night's extravaganza, pieces of memory flooding back.
I swallow hard and shift back a little, putting an inch of space between us. “Um… morning.”
He doesn’t miss the retreat. His smile falters, softens, like he’s studying me and trying to figure out if I’m about to bolt.
My gaze falls to his chest; it is so broad and firmly built.
I brush my fingers along the outline edge of his ribs, but not too close to his wound.
Old rough edges across his side brush against my fingers before a large one on his stomach comes into view.
Tension coils beneath my touch as if he still feels the violence there but also he survived it. “What happened to you?” I whisper.
He clears his throat, “It was when I was a teenager and caught my cousin moving girls through the dock trailers. They were just kids, maybe fifteen or sixteen.” His voice sounds raspy.
“I followed him one day because my gut told me too and I was right. There were girls just laying on cots, half dressed, with needles hanging out of their skin. One of the girls eyes were open but blank, her arm hanging off the cot with a needle hanging from her forearm. I checked for a pulse but there was nothing. He was taking these young girls as sex-trafficking.”
My chest tightens and my gaze snaps to his, his warm blue eyes are gone, and now in their place are distant ones. His words hang silent between us and I move my hand away from the scar and place it on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
“What was your cousin doing with the girls?” I’m almost afraid to ask, but considering there is a scar from the incident, I have to know.
His hand touches mine. “He was drugging them to keep them from running. He would take their pictures to these rich powerful men and these girls go to the highest bidders.” He looks down, jaw tight and rigid but his eyes give away more of sadness; they no longer shine like ocean blue more like murky blue.
“Hey,” I whisper. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Out of nowhere a cracking sound booms through the room.
A gunshot tears through the quiet, and I jolt. Brutus jumps from the end of the bed, barking deep and low.
Severin’s expression changes instantly; the tenderness he once showed disappears. In its place lies distance and coldness. He grabs his weapon and slides off the bed without making a sound.
“Down,” he hisses.
I drop to the floor, my pulse is beating like crazy. Another shot goes off this time a loud thunk from the front of the cabin.
“They’ve found us,” he says, moving quickly, turning off the lamp, plunging the cabin into darkness. “Maggie,” he whispers. “Stay down and do not move until I tell you to.”
I nod but not sure if he can see me. I press my back against the wall, forcing myself to breathe. Brutus growls beside me.
“Shit! Someone is moving near the shed,” he says, moving quickly to the window, lifting it with his free hand. He aims and fires once. “I got one fucker down.”
As I watch him fire two more shots outside the window, more follow behind him that hit the cabin. I sit and think about how I thought I was going to have a quiet, cozy and kind of dull Christmas weekend. Not end with a mafia war on my land.
Brutus shivers against me, pressing his body further into mine while he stiffens. I wrap my arm around him, pulling him closer to me and whisper, “Everything is okay.”
Severin reloads his gun. “If they have reached this point, there’s more coming. Rizzo’s men don't send a few; he sends them like a pack of wolves.”
The roar of engines are near, and snow crunches under the tires.
My eyes find Severin, and he’s already prepared for the next round.
His shoulders are tight and his posture is taunt.
I watch with astonishment. How can anyone be so alert and focused?
He reminds me of a tiger hiding in tall grass watching every move of its prey, patient, and still, ready to strike any second.
“Is it Rizzo’s men?” I ask, my throat a tight mix of nervousness and something else thrilling deep and dangerous, inside me.
“No. Not them,” he says, listening closer. “It’s the cavalry.”
Gunfire erupts outside but it sounds like from two different directions, and I sit listening closely. I watch Severin move from the window and turn towards the front door.
“My Father’s men have arrived. Just stay put for now.” He shakes his head and walks out onto the porch gun still raised. Voices whisper in the night as Severin talks to someone.
Brutus bristles, roaring at the top of his lungs.
I place my finger at my lips giving Brutus the signal to stay quiet.
I tip toe towards the front window so I can see what is going on.
Severin’s talking so it must be safe, or he would be still shooting at the bad guys.
Several large muscular men stand grounded while a few more surround them in different positions with their guns raised.
Then I notice deep splashes of red with bodies spread out across the property.
A car door opens and this huge tattooed man steps out walking like a soldier.
“Only you, Severin, would turn this whole war between families into a personal mission,” the tattoo guy says. “Your father sent us ahead. Told us to ‘Remind you what protection looks like’.”
Severin holsters his weapon, jaw tight. “Father will be okay. He didn’t handle my brother’s killer, so I did, Matthew.”
The guy gives a half-smirk. “After tonight, I think he disagrees.”
The cold winter air rushes in and I shiver, the chill biting through my clothes. I lived here all my life and still can’t get used to feeling it in my bones.
The large shadows appear at the doorway, big broad shoulder men, dressed in all black. Seriously? Mafia men really dress like this. It's just like all these dirty mafia romance books I shouldn't be reading but now I’m living it.
They fill the cabin one by one, engulfing the whole small living room with their dark presence. They move around with confidence, eyes scanning around with suspicion. They know none of the bad guys are within this cabin with Severin here. Hopefully…
Several men walk around the cabin, moving around the corner and down the hall for curiosity, I guess. When the scar face tattoo guy walks closer to where I am, Brutus blocks him. He stands alert between us both, releasing a hair-raising howl.
“Sit,” I command. “It's okay.” I rub behind his ear. He has never been aggressive with anyone, even my ex.
The guy doesn’t even look nervous. Hell, he kills for a living, and he wouldn't think twice of killing my dog.
I stand like a statue listening to Severin spit out orders.
“Yes boss!” several shout in unison and move outside like they're on fire.
His stern voice tightens my pussy. My whole body starts to react the longer I look at him, his hair is standing up from him running his fingers through it, his jaw is carved sharp and tight, and his eyes are stormy ocean blue from his anger.
My nipples harden and a hot rush of heat shoots down between my legs.
God. I have issues.
I tighten my inner thighs, helping soothe the throbbing fire below. I keep picturing him eating my pussy like a starving wild animal.
This bodyguard named Matt looks at us for a moment, his smirk fading into something nearly like understanding. “We’ll keep the perimeter secure until morning.”