Chapter Eighteen
Donovan
Hitting mute on the phone, I let a growl escape my chest. My mom was on a bender, and it wasn’t a particularly good one.
Were they ever positive? It didn’t matter in this moment, because dear Mommy wanted all of this done yesterday and wasn’t particularly pleased about Magnum staying at Valerie’s.
She’d heard about the arrangement from Cinder, who had quickly locked herself in her hotel room, saying she’d be out in the morning, and called her soon-to-be mother-in-law.
Which led to now, and my being stuck on the phone with an extremely angry and hostile Ceci.
Still on mute, I roared again, silently reminding myself about my Hawaii plan. It couldn’t come soon enough. The second I restored order to my family where Rubia was concerned, I’d be on my way to Hawaii. I needed to put distance between myself and the entire lot of Rubians and their rules.
Except it might be nice to harbor one to keep me warm, sleep by my side, challenge me…but it wasn’t possible.
Back to reality, my mother was still yakking away on the phone—Blake would come to Rubia, Valerie would stay in Florida, Magnum must obey, and Tuvy would damn well perform.
It was a long list of woulds and musts, not a could or maybe think about muttered.
My mom and Ezza operated in a world of what everyone was expected to do, and there was no consideration for anyone else’s feelings.
As I was about to hit unmute and let my mother know I was handling it all, there was a soft knock on the door.
Swinging my door open, Tulya stood in front of me, a tumbler of scotch in one hand and a tender smile on her face. You okay? She mouthed the question, not knowing the call was on mute.
I nodded and waved her to come in, although I had better ideas for when it came to my bedroom and Tulya.
She handed me the tumbler, and I said, “God bless you, mute,” pointing to the phone.
With a wink and a slug of the scotch, I hit a button and went back to my call.
“Mom, listen, I got this. It’s all going to be resolved.
I know Cinder is mad, but in order to make this all happen, I had to make sure both Valerie and Blake stay put.
Valerie is slippery, and the only way to keep her nearby is Magnum. ”
My mom continued to drone on. “Why wouldn’t you just do it all today?”
Grateful the phone wasn’t on speaker, since Tulya had lain back on the chaise, my mind went to a better place—Tulya and myself, no clothes, sheets.
Despite the phone being near my ear, I hit the lower volume button; no need for Tulya to hear my mother talk down to me. I swallowed my pride and answered my mother.
“Because—because Blake is just a kid, Mom. And she’s unique and special, and we need to take our time when it comes to her.
” For a quick second, my heart ached over leaving Blake for Hawaii.
I shooed away the feeling. It was absurd.
I’d only just met her, and beyond her being my brother’s daughter, we didn’t have a bond.
“Well, get it done tomorrow and hurry back. The sooner we have this situated, the sooner we can deal with your engagement. Again, I can’t understand why you allowed your brother to get engaged first, but I bet you’re rethinking it now.
You’re the head of the family and will stay in a prominent position. ”
“Enough about me.”
I had to end this discussion. There was no way I could sit on the phone any longer and discuss Emelee, who my mother wanted me to marry, with Tulya close by.
It was the first time I’d thought about her by name since the holiday party.
I didn’t know why, but now when Emelee entered my mind, I despised her even more than before.
Until a week ago, she was nothing more than a hinderance of my mother’s.
She was only a she, not a real person named Emelee.
Now, she was a rival of Tulya’s…sort of, and I hated that. For Tulya or me, I wasn’t sure.
“I’ll get this all done. I have it under control,” I said before disconnecting the call. Looking up I caught sight of the most beautiful woman I’d ever known, staring at me with raw need in her eyes. It should have made me feel dishonorable, but when it came to Tulya, every rule I knew dissolved.
“I’m sorry it’s all come to this,” she said from the chaise, her voice gravelly with emotion.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I ran my hand through my hair, spending a slow beat marveling at the exquisiteness in front of me. “Where is your drink?” I finally asked, sick of all the sorrys and we can’ts and family aggravation. For one more night, I wanted easy—
Who the hell was I kidding? I wanted this each and every evening of my life.
“Oh, I left it out there on the end table,” she said, starting to sit up, her hair cascading around her face.
“Sit,” I instructed and went to fetch her wineglass, refilling it and refreshing my scotch before returning to sit by her feet on the edge of the chaise.
“Cheers.” I handed her the wine, and her pointer finger reached out to touch my thumb.
It was a tiny gesture, but one meant to say it’s all going to be okay.
“If it makes you feel any better, I heard from Caro, who wanted to check on me. She was worried because I hadn’t even called or messaged during the few days of Christmas, but you know what happened then. Anyway, she said my mom is in a tizzy too that this isn’t getting done faster.”
I took another gulp of scotch, allowing the burn to hit my belly, and then I reached out, taking Tulya’s empty hand. “You’re so beautiful,” I blurted out, my pulse beating Fuck the rules.
“Don,” she whispered.
“I love when you shorten my name,” I admitted like a teenaged, lovesick fool. She squeezed my fingers. “I’m sorry Caro was worried, but also I’m not. It was the best Christmas of my life,” I said with some kind of hazy word vomit.
“Caro covered for me, which is slightly surprising, but she said I texted her to tell everyone Merry Christmas. She also reported that Bruno is misbehaving. Apparently he saw Prim on Christmas Day. Lordy, he’s going to get me in more hot water.”
I noticed her face was clean of any makeup and took in the loose white sweatshirt hanging off her shoulder, clocking the absence of a bra strap. I wanted to start licking her right there at the tip of her clavicle and not stop until I hit home.
“I am tired of all the nonsense,” she whispered. “Our families, the drama, and the tasks ahead. I want to forget.”
She leaned forward, setting her now empty wineglass next to her, and allowed her lips to hover in front of me. I wanted nothing more than to take her lips—fuck it, her whole body—with mine.
“Time stops when I’m with you,” she whispered.
My palm slid around the back of her neck, and I held her gaze steady with mine. “Every minute with you is stolen. I’ve never wanted to be a criminal more, thieving my way through life if it means more of you, Tulya.”
She swallowed and I watched as a montage of emotions flashed across her face. Hurt, caring, fear, adoration—they were all there.
I wanted to pocket each one and hold on to them as a keepsake—the many facets of Tulya.
“I want one more night,” I told her. It was selfish and brash, but her eyes told me all I needed to know. Her desire for me was just the same.
“If I can’t have all the nights, I will settle for one more.” That was all she said before sealing her lips to mine.
I allowed my empty tumbler to hit the soft carpet before scooping Tulya in my arms and carrying her to the bed. My palm found her bare shoulder, then my tongue replaced my hand, my earlier fantasy coming true.
Leisurely taking my time, I explored every single fiber of her body, using all my senses.
I watched her breath rise and fall in her chest as my hand grazed small goose bumps pebbling along her skin.
I yearned to record the soft moans coming from her so I could listen to them forever.
Finally, I inhaled her desire before tasting every ounce of her need.
It was a decadent exploration, one I didn’t want to end.
After I took my time drawing every last climax from her body, I softly dragged my length from her, and for a short moment I had my fill.
We wound ourselves around one another, narrowing all gaps of space—emotional and physical—between us.
It was only when we’d exhausted ourselves that we fell asleep in each other’s arms for the final time.
Never had I ever wanted a night to not end…