by Reilly, Cora
Again that small trusting smile, which was giving me ideas and at the same time reminding me that I had a responsibility for Stella. She trusted me, had miraculously done so for a long time.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was past midnight.
“Happy Birthday,” I said.
Stella blinked, her brows crinkling. “If the start of my birthday is any indication for the rest of my year, I’d like to skip it.”
I smiled, shaking my head, my fingers still on her skin. My gaze darted to her lips, the way they curved up in a half-smile despite the anxiety in her eyes. I dropped my hand as if I’d been burned and stepped back, clearing my throat. “I’m going to check everything. It’s been a while since I’ve been down here.”
“Does that mean you don’t have a birthday present for me?”
An image of my head buried between her legs popped into my mind. Not the birthday present she had in mind. I needed to drag my mind out of the gutter. “Not down here,” I got out.
Stella
My heart beat wildly in my chest as I kept listening to sounds from above. Muffled footsteps sounded on occasion, but the door held fast. Slowly, I made my way over to the sofa and sank down, trying to calm myself. Mauro meticulously checked every drawer of the kitchen and the narrow wardrobe.
The muscles in his shoulders and back flexed as he leaned forward. Scars littered his back from knife and gun wounds he’d suffered over the years as a Made Man. Slowly my gaze dropped to his firm ass and a flush heated my cheeks. I quickly dragged my gaze away when Mauro turned, his brows furrowed in concentration. His chest was chiseled, tanned and a small splattering of dark hair trailed from his navel down into his low-cut sweatpants. It was the first time I saw him without a shirt in a long time. He’d always worn a shirt around me. My stomach warmed.
Mauro’s eyes cut to me and I blushed, feeling caught, as if my inappropriate thoughts were written all over my face. I was glad he didn’t know how I felt toward him. He’d think I was being silly. “We’re well equipped with canned food and a change of clothes. A few days down here won’t be a problem.”
I nodded, then flinched when something crashed over our heads.
Mauro narrowed his eyes.
“What was that?”
“I think they threw over one of the shelves. They might be looking for a safe. Maybe this attack isn’t about us, but about information they hope to acquire.”
Again, I nodded. I’d never much cared for mob business. I’d never gotten a taste of what it entailed—until now. Mauro had been risking his life for years, since he was younger than I am now. Maybe that was why the age difference of five years between us sometimes felt so much bigger.
“Try to get some sleep. I can dim the light,” Mauro said.
I quickly shook my head. There was no way I’d fall asleep now. Adrenaline pumped through my body.
“Why don’t you watch some TV while I try to figure out a way to send out an emergency signal?”
I dropped in front of the TV like a five-year-old, but what else could I have done? My legs were shaking and my brain capacity close to zero. I took the remote and began to mindlessly flip through the channels. But I kept the volume low so I’d hear what went on above our heads, and my gaze kept returning to the trapdoor, the only thing between us and our potential murderers.
That and Mauro. He was a good shot. He’d protect us.
Mauro
I was interested in modern technology, but trying to send out an emergency signal past whatever block our attackers had installed was well beyond my knowledge.
Stella’s eyes kept alternately following me and checking out the ceiling. She was still shaking and goose bumps pimpled her skin. Her nipples peeked through her nightgown in the most distracting way possible.
“Aren’t you cold? You can change into other clothes,” I suggested eventually.
Stella followed my suggestion and surprised me when she put on one of my sweaters. For some reason, the sight of her in my too-big clothes was even more of a turn-on than her flimsy nightgown had been. Damn it all.
I spent the night and most of the day going over the manual for the keypad and turning on the heat. More to distract myself than for any practical purposes. I sat on one of the bunk beds while Stella had curled up on the sofa, only her shins and feet peeking out from my sweater.
She dozed off twice but jerked up shortly after, her breathing shaky until her eyes settled on me. “Can’t you read beside me?”
I got up and walked over to her, then sank down next to her feet. Stella propped them up on my thighs, and without thinking, I put my palm on her calf. Her skin was soft, warm and now that I felt it, I couldn’t stop thinking how much better it would feel if I trailed my hand up to her sensitive inner thigh or even higher.
I shoved the thought out of my head and focused on the tiny font of the manual. Stella sat up and caught me off guard by turning around and settling her head in my lap. For a moment, I stared down at her caramel hair, half torn between shoving her away because I really didn’t need additional images of her face close to my dick haunting my nights, and tugging my waistband down and sliding my cock into her mouth.
I shifted when I felt the treacherous blood flow down into my groin area.
“Anything interesting?”
“No,” I gritted out. Stella met my eyes, frowning. My sudden tension didn’t make sense to her. “Did you hear something? Are we in danger?”
I was in danger of losing my sliver of self-control, and she of losing her honor.
Something in her expression shifted, as if she knew what I was thinking.
I’d on occasion thought she’d looked at me with more than step-sisterly affection, but had blamed it on my own forbidden desires. Now I wasn’t so sure anymore.
After an early dinner of a can of cream of mushroom soup and some crackers, Stella slipped into the tiny bath-cupboard. The door was thin and I could hear every muttered curse as she tried to change in the narrow space. I tried not to imagine how she undressed, how she’d look naked.
“Ouch!” Stella muttered.
I chuckled despite the situation.
Silence followed behind the door.
“Can you hear me?”
“Of course, I can hear you.”
More silence. “You have to cover your ears.”
“Stella, I’m not going to cover my fucking ears. I know how it sounds when someone pees, so get on with it and don’t you dare turn the water on to cover up the sounds.”
“I’m not going to pee if you can hear everything!” She turned the water on. I stretched out on one of the bunks, wondering what the attackers were doing upstairs. Undoubtedly trying to get down here. Why hadn’t Father thought of installing monitors down here that were linked to cameras on the premises?
The door opened and Stella stepped out. My heart skipped a beat. What the holy fuck was she wearing? I sat up slowly, wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me. Stella was in some kind of flimsy red negligee made of thin silky material. It only reached her upper thighs and clung to her breasts. Fuck.
Stella shifted on her feet, her face turning red under my scrutiny. “Only my mother would choose this as her nightwear for a lockdown situation. The clothes in my drawer are a few years old and don’t fit me anymore.”
I barely registered her words. Most of my blood had left my brain. Of course, I’d noticed Stella’s curves before, but having them shoved into my face like this, it would definitely stir up a whole new onslaught of dirty fantasies I had absolutely no business entertaining.
I pushed to my feet and headed over to the drawer with my clothes, ripping it open with a bit too much force. I pulled out a T-shirt and boxer shorts and flung them at Stella. She barely caught them, her eyes wide in surprise.
“Here. Put that on. It’ll be more comfortable than that thing.”
As if Stella’s comfort had anything to do with my need to cover her with one of my T-shirts.
Hurt flickered in her expression, catching my half-functioning brain by surprise. I didn’t get the chance to analyze the look because she whirled around and returned to the bathroom.
Stella
I clutched the clothes to my chest, stunned by the wave of disappointment I felt. At first, when I’d realized I’d have to wear my mother’s ridiculous negligee I had been embarrassed, but after putting it on, I’d secretly been excited about Mauro’s reaction.
I hadn’t expected him to look almost appalled. Trying not to take this to heart was difficult, even when I should have been relieved. Mauro’s reaction was normal. Mine wasn’t. He acted like a stepbrother should.
I peeled out of the negligee and got into Mauro’s clothes. The shorts hung very low on my hips and the T-shirt reached mid-thigh. Taking a deep breath, I emerged again, determined to get a grip and stop seeing anything more than family in Mauro.
I couldn’t read the look Mauro gave me. It was only a few minutes past seven, but I felt tired. I’d barely slept last night, and I wasn’t sure if I’d get any sleep tonight. It had been silent above our heads for a while now.
“Do you think they are gone?” I asked as I headed over to Mauro’s bunk where he sat hunched over a semi-automatic from the rifle cabinet behind the ladder, putting it back together after dismantling it.
He glanced up, his eyes dragging over my body in a way that sent a little shiver down my spine. Did his gaze linger on my bare legs?
Do not go there…
“I doubt it. They could be taking apart room after room in search of something useful. Like the code to this room.”
My eyes widened.
Mauro shook his head. “It’s not written down anywhere. Only Father and I know it, as well as a few trustworthy men.”
I sank down beside Mauro and his body became taut. I mourned the fact that he’d put on a shirt. Our eyes met, and I held my breath, not even sure why. Something in Mauro’s brown eyes sent a spear of longing through my body.
“Aren’t you tired?” he asked. His voice held a strange note.
“I am,” I admitted. My eyes burned from lack of sleep and the dry air down here.
“Why don’t you take the bed over there?” He nodded toward the bunk across from his.
“Do you want to get rid of me?” My joke backfired because Mauro didn’t laugh.
He focused on the gun, and his lack of a reply was all the answer I needed. “I need to check the remaining guns to make sure we have enough firepower.”
I stood. I didn’t want to push myself on Mauro when he obviously wanted to be alone. Hiding my disappointment, I slipped under the blanket in the narrow bunk. The coarse material was cold and smelled faintly of disuse. I rolled over, away from Mauro, needing privacy.
The click of him working on the guns rang in the panic room. It wasn’t what kept me awake, not even the light—which he dimmed a bit later. My thoughts whirred in my head. Thoughts about Mauro, about my feelings for him, about the men in the house, about their horrible motives. And worry that Mauro’s and my relationship would be even worse off after this. It felt as if something was shifting between us—again.
I stared at the gray concrete, listening to Mauro until he, too, seemed to have lain down. He turned the lights off except for a faint glow, probably the lamp he’d prepared for use in the afternoon.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d been lying motionless in the bunk before I couldn’t take it anymore. “I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about them upstairs, waiting for a chance to get to us. And it’s freezing down here.” The blanket wasn’t very thick.
Mauro sighed. “I can’t turn the heat up. I don’t know how long the generators can keep up all the essential facilities and we need to stay for three days unless someone checks on the mansion sooner.”
I shivered again and turned around, peering over to Mauro in the bed across from mine. He was facing my way as well. The dim gas lantern on the floor between us threw shadows on his face that made it impossible to read his expression from where I lay. “Can I come under your blanket? I’m shaking so bad.”
Even as I said the words, alarm bells rang in my head. Considering my feelings for Mauro, sharing a narrow bed with him seemed like a dangerous option.
Don’t be stupid.
Mauro only saw me as his little stepsister. I wasn’t a woman to him. He probably didn’t even realize I had breasts and a vagina.
Mauro tensed. Not only did he have to babysit me and was now stuck in a panic room with me, now I wanted to intrude on his personal space.
My cheeks burned at the resulting silence. I was glad for the dark that hid my mortification from his vigilant eyes. Why couldn’t I stop acting like a stupid kid around him?
When I’d given up hope that he’d reply, his low voice sounded. “Sure.”
I scrambled out of my bunk, shivering when my bare feet touched the cold stone floor, and hurried the few steps over to Mauro. He lifted the covers, and I crept under them. The bunk was small, and our bodies brushed despite my butt dangling over the edge. Mauro shifted back until he bumped against the wall, allowing me to lie down more comfortably.
Suddenly I was caught in the reality of the situation. Mauro looked down at me with a tight expression. He was lying ramrod straight, his arm resting awkwardly on his side. Our faces were close enough to kiss, and I wanted nothing more, but I wasn’t insane. I wouldn’t make a fool out of myself again.
I cleared my throat, which was the equivalent of an explosion in the silence of the room. “I’m going to turn around.” Mauro didn’t say anything. I quickly rolled over and my ass bumped against his crotch.
His low exhale made me swallow. God, this bunk was too narrow for two people who weren’t intimate. “You can wrap your arm around me.”
What was wrong with me?
But I wanted him to wrap his arm around me.
He shifted again and hesitantly touched his palm to my hip. It was warm and big, and more distracting than I thought a touch like that could be.
Mauro was almost… shy? Though maybe shy was the wrong word. He was careful. Maybe he was worried to scare me? He knew I’d never been in bed with someone. Heat washed over me.
He finally wrapped his arm around me, his heat singeing my back and stopping my trembling. I released a soft sigh, snuggling closely against him. His palm against my belly felt perfect.
“You’re so warm and strong.”
Had I just really said that?
Mauro let out a strangled sound that might have been a laugh.
Of course, I couldn’t shut up because when I was nervous, and for some reason, Mauro suddenly made me very nervous, my mouth always ran free. “I’m glad we’re family so nobody can construe any crazy rumors when we share a bed. It’s not like something could happen between us. I mean, we’re practically sister and brother.” But damn it, my feelings weren’t sisterly in the slightest.
“But we’re not,” Mauro said in a low rumble that made me melt.
“No, we’re not,” I agreed quietly.
Mauro’s scent engulfed me, his warmth was everywhere. And the feel of his body shielding mine, it was better than anything I’d ever felt. Despite my worry about what was going on in the house, I drifted off, knowing Mauro would keep me safe.
Mauro
Stella fell asleep, her body softening against mine. Sleep was out of the question for me. My body thrummed with adrenaline and worse, desire. Feeling Stella’s body so close to mine, her firm, little butt pressed against my crotch, my dick was getting ready to rumble.
I tried to bring at least a few inches between my hardening cock and Stella’s ass, but the wall behind me made that impossible.
With a sigh, I tried to get some rest. Stella was oblivious to my body’s reaction to her closeness. She released a small sigh and moved closer to me once more, bumping into my cock. Knowing it was a losing battle, I wrapped my arm more tightly around her middle and settled comfortably against her.
I must have fa
llen asleep because sometime later I startled awake. Stella stirred at my sudden move. She had turned around while we were both asleep and now faced my way. She blinked up at me, disoriented, her face so close to mine our lips were almost touching. I’d never woken beside a woman. It was too intimate and too risky for someone as distrustful as me.
“What’s wrong?” Stella mumbled, yawning before flashing me an embarrassed smile. She shifted and dug my morning erection into her lower belly, causing me to groan. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned red. Even in the dim light of the gas lantern, her embarrassment was unmistakable.
I had no way of pulling back with the wall against my back. Gritting my teeth, I pushed up on my elbow. “Can you sit up? I need to check on the door. A noise woke me.”
It was a fucking lie. I wasn’t sure what had woken me from my dream—a dream with Stella in a leading role. Stella scrambled back and sat up, slanting me a quizzical look. I slipped out of the bunk and stood, glad to be rid of her tantalizing warmth. Her gaze darted to my sweatpants then jerked back up and she got even redder, which seemed hardly possible. I stifled a laugh. She pointedly avoided looking at me after that and I went over to the door, peering up. It was still safely locked. I didn’t hear a sound above our heads.
“You’re not thinking about opening it, right?”
Stella stood and came over to me, her arms wrapped around her chest.
“No,” I said. The silence above could be a trap. The attackers could be lying in wake. Even though I was a good shot, it would be near impossible to win against several opponents.
Stella yawned again.
“Why don’t you try to sleep again? It’s still early.”
“Won’t you join me?”
I shook my head. “I’m not tired.” In truth, I just needed some distance between us.
Nodding, she returned to the bed and closed her eyes.