My Once in a Lifetime

by Nicole Vidal

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” I roll over, caging her beneath me before I move to my feet. Extending my hand, I pull her up from the ground and lead her back into the barn. We share dessert with our guests before cleaning up and retiring to the house.

  Chapter 55

  Norah

  Yesterday was a whirlwind. I should be exhausted, especially considering Jacob and I didn’t sleep much last night. He gave me his time and numerous quiet orgasms last night. Stifling my pleasured screams with pillows or burying my face into the comforter was necessary with our houseguests. It’s near ten and we’re heading out for a hike around Jacob’s property. As expected, Genevieve and Joseph decide to stay at the house. They even offer to watch Nick so Kelly can join us.

  Kelly and Kelsey are dying to talk more about Jacob and me, but there really isn’t much more that I’m willing to share. He makes me feel like we could have it all, now that I believe he feels that way too.

  Jacob takes a different path than we have followed before, but I know where we’ll end up. We meander down the path toward Jacob’s favorite spot. The guys are just walking and talking occasionally. This is mostly for me. I needed to get out of the house for a bit today. Luckily, some of my girls are here to trudge along with me.

  “You weren’t lying, Nor. This is serene and peaceful like Aspen,” Kelly pushes out as we crest the hill.

  “If I were you, I would stay in Aspen, but I get it, the shop is in Maine,” Kelsey adds.

  “It truly is amazing here. There are so many more stars visible here than in Maine at night. It’s gorgeous,” I add.

  Jacob pulls out the blanket, laying it on the platform, and the ladies take a seat. He curls around me, his lips against my neck. I sigh inwardly and lean into him. I feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. At first he doesn’t move to check it. Then a loud alarm starts blaring, and he tenses around me.

  “What the hell is that?” I ask, craning my neck to look into his eyes. Fear, I see fear.

  “It’s a perimeter alarm.” Jacob whistles for Tank, who wandered off a bit when we arrived.

  Moments later, he’s dutifully sitting at Jacob’s side. Jacob rises and tugs me to my feet. “Norah, take Tank and go back to the house. Kelly and Kelsey will go with you. Nicholas, you can stay with us or go, your choice. Go inside and engage the alarm. Do you remember the commands for Tank?” he asks me.

  I nod. He kisses me hard, fearful and possessive, at the same time Nicholas and William kiss their wives. I draw back slightly, my Jacob, fun, playful, amazing-in-bed Jacob is gone. He mouths “I love you” and turns away.

  I’ve seen this Jacob before and know to just listen. His protector mode just flipped on. Fierce, decisive, unflinching, moving toward unknown danger.

  After releasing me, he starts talking to William. I hear him ask, “Are you armed?” Fear slices through me. I grab Kelly and Kelsey’s hands and start back for the house.

  “How are you so calm right now?” Kelly asks as we walk away from our men. Kelsey just nods. Maybe William’s protective armor comes out less now that they’re married, but she understands.

  “This isn’t the first time protector Jacob has come out since I left Maine. I’ll tell you more later. Kels, you good?” I slow my pace a bit to make sure Kelsey is okay.

  “Yup, I’m fine. Still working out daily, even with the little bean. Doc says I have a few more months until I need to slow down a bit.”

  We’re about halfway back to the house when we spot Christoph running toward us.

  “Keep going. Maia will be at the house. Where were you?” he says when he stops before me.

  Tank sits by my heel, waiting for me to move again.

  “At Jacob’s spot. Nicholas and William stayed with him.”

  “Thanks.” He turns and continues running toward Jacob.

  When we reach the gate, Maia is watching from the back porch. Maia in work mode is intimidating despite her stature.

  “Is everyone okay?” she asks once we are in earshot.

  “Yes, where is my brother?” I ask Maia.

  “Your brother and nephews were in the family room when I got here. I asked them to stay inside.”

  “Thanks.” I move to the front door, engage the alarm, and give Tank the commands Jacob taught me, even though it probably isn’t necessary considering Maia is here and armed.

  “Start spilling, Norah,” Kelly states after falling onto the couch with a thud.

  “I’ll share with you, Kel, but it’s worse than this. Are you sure you want to know?”

  “You have been protecting us this whole time?” she asks quietly.

  “Yes. There are some seriously bad people after me for something. Until recently, I didn’t have the pieces of the puzzle to locate it. I have been working with the data for the last week or so. I’ll find what they want, but I won’t turn it over unless my name is clear. I won’t go down for something I didn’t do just because Mr. Sterling felt it necessary to loop me in.”

  Kelly turns to face me. “Okay, I won’t push you. Though I will admit, Jacob is hot. Protector Jacob beats everyday Jacob by a mile.”

  Both are intoxicating. I simply smile and nod. I don’t trust my words right now.

  There’s a small knock on the door. Maia disengages the alarm and admits Nolan into the house. She’s whispering to him as the alarm reengages. Just as I get comfortable, Joseph, Gen, and the boys come upstairs. Jackson is perched on Gen’s hip, and James is between them. Kelly takes Nick from Joseph and retreats to the couch near Kelsey.

  “What is going on?” Joseph asks.

  Rising from my seat, I walk over to them. “A perimeter alarm sounded. Jacob sent us back here so he could check it out with William. Nicholas opted to stay. Christoph raced past us, and Maia came here.” I keep my voice level and calm so as to not alarm them. I don’t know if there is anything to be alarmed about.

  “How dare you?” Gen questions in a tone I don’t like at all. Jackson buries his head into her shoulder.

  “Excuse me?” If she’s fixing for an argument, she can have one.

  “How dare you put my family at risk bringing us here?” Gen shouts, narrowing her eyes at me. Joseph sets his hand on her shoulder, but she shakes him off.

  Thanks, big brother, but I can handle your wife. “I didn’t bring you here. Jacob invited you here. As I’m sure my brother dragged you here kicking and screaming, you didn’t have to come. For once, Gen, this is about me. Not you. Jacob knew it would be difficult for me to miss celebrating with all of you, so he surprised me.”

  At this moment, I notice Kelly and Kelsey standing near the couch. Neither is moving to avoid taking a side. I don’t expect them to. Maia and Nolan are near the front door side by side. Tank is sitting straight up and alert at my side.

  “I—”

  I cut her off and continue. “I’m not done. He would never jeopardize my safety by inviting you here. If he didn’t think it was safe, not only for me but for you, you wouldn’t be here. You have no idea what I have been handling since the attack in my townhouse. Clearly, my brother—your husband thought it was safe to share the holiday here. Next time, don’t bother.” I take a step back and move around my brother and his family down the hall. Poor James looks stunned. I don’t think I have ever raised my voice in front of him.

  “Norah, I—” Gen starts to say, turning in my direction.

  “Gen, let her go. If you’ve learned anything since childhood, you know to let her walk away for a bit,” Joseph says.

  Kudos to my brother for standing up for me. I plod down the hall and slam the door to the master bedroom before curling up with Tank on the bed. It isn’t long before Kelsey knocks on the door. Kelly drew the short straw to placate Gen.

  Chapter 56

  Jacob

  This can’t be happening. The moment the alarm sounds, my protectiveness increases one thousandfold. I fail to hide my concern too. She felt me tense up. I would never risk her safety. I’m unarmed like at the Mic
helsons’. There is no reason to arm myself every day at my home. My security system has never failed before. Someone who doesn’t belong is on my property. Sending her to the house alone nearly gutted me. She will do as I asked. I know she will. Not once has Norah ever questioned me or my team regarding her safety and security.

  I purposely avoid watching her walk away with Kelly and Kelsey. Instead, I immediately start to plan with William. Nicholas, who surprisingly opted to stay, is listening intently. The perimeter alarm along the western edge of my property was set off. I can pinpoint on my phone where the alarm tripped. Once we have a plan and begin to move, Christoph comes running toward us.

  “Where is everyone else?”

  “I saw Norah, Kelly, and Kelsey about halfway here.” Good, her pace was steady. “Maia is meeting them at the house. Nolan will likely be there as well. He was otherwise engaged.”

  I nod, the knot in my stomach loosening, but only marginally. Christoph falls in step with us as we move toward the breach.

  This edge of my property abuts a state forest. Rarely does anyone cross onto my property, especially there. I believe there have only been two other instances. One was Connor when he heard a woman in distress in the park, and the second was an injured kayaker. The closest marked hiking trail is almost a half mile away from the line. There are private property signs posted at equal intervals along the property line. My alarm is set up about two hundred yards onto my land.

  As we near the area, I hear the roar of motors, two, probably three. Once I meet the edge of my land, I note three young people on ATVs riding recklessly along the outer boundary of the park and my land. The fear in my heart diminishes exponentially. The heaviness lessens considerably. Norah is safe. There’s no threat to her or her family. Well, no threat to her here at least. The Morettis are another larger, more complex matter. I call the ranger station and the local police before texting Maia.

  Me: There’s no threat to Norah. Some kids riding ATVs in the park crossed the perimeter.

  Maia: Okay. Everyone is in the house. Tension is high.

  Me: It’ll be a bit before we get back. Waiting on ranger and CBPD.

  Maia: Okay. Nolan and I will stay here.

  Me: Thank you. I appreciate it.

  Maia: You’re welcome.

  “What’s the plan?” Christoph asks.

  “I called the ranger station and Crescent Bay PD. I need to wait for them. If you prefer to head back, I can handle this.”

  “It won’t take that long,” Christoph replies. William and Nicholas reply in kind.

  “I assume you told Maia that everything is clear,” William asks.

  “I did. Everyone is in the house. I got the impression something went down, but I’m not sure who.”

  “I would put money on Gen and Norah,” Nicholas supplies, looking over at the three riders who are buzzing by us completely oblivious to our presence. William laughs.

  “Why do you say that?” I ask. Norah is levelheaded and analytical. She doesn’t become extremely angry. Pissed at Stan and Agent Morse, sure, but she’s entitled. In fact, I’ve never seen her argue with anyone.

  “Gen’s world revolves around Gen. She has a plan for everyone in her family. If you deviate from that plan, she gets upset. Apparently, you were not in her plans for Norah,” Nicholas states as if it’s a known fact.

  I don’t know Gen at all other than she’s Norah’s sister-in-law and they have known one another since childhood.

  “She doesn’t truly know me.” Hell, the list of people who truly know me is short, extremely short.

  “That doesn’t matter. Gen pulled this with Kelsey as well. She freaked out that Kelsey was going to buy the Perk to be near me. They had a falling out for a fair amount of time. Kelly was the one who pulled Gen back to reality. She’s likely trying to talk some sense into Gen as we speak. Kelly doesn’t like strife among her family and friends,” William adds.

  “Definitely true.” Nicholas nods in agreement.

  As I ponder their take on the situation, I see the ranger and CBPD approaching from the park land. It isn’t until they are close enough to contain the riders do they put on their sirens. If William and Nicholas are correct, Norah is curled up on our bed waiting while everyone else hangs out in the house. Our bed has a nice ring to it. I smile inwardly.

  “Mr. Blackthorne, thank you for the call,” Ranger DeLeo states, approaching us. “How did you know about the riders?”

  “I have a perimeter alarm on my property. When I came to check it out, I found those three speeding around in circles.” He doesn’t need to know that my heart was in my throat when the alert sounded or the panic coursing through me for Norah.

  “Thank you. Either I or Captain Greenfield will send you a statement for signature early next week.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  As he walks away, Captain Greenfield approaches the three of us. He’s an older man, likely in his mid-fifties. Due to my work with Nicholas and other celebrities, I know the look of recognition. Greenfield tries to mask it but fails.

  “Good evening, Mr. Blackthorne. Thank you for the call.”

  “You’re welcome. Captain William Ramirez from York Beach PD and Nicholas Barnett, this is Captain Greenfield. They are visiting for the holiday.”

  “Pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. I’ll forward a statement to you.”

  “Thank you. Have a good night.”

  “Would you like a ride back?”

  I would prefer to walk, but the sooner I tuck Norah against me, the better. “Thank you. That would be appreciated.”

  The ride back to the farm is largely silent. At the gate to the private road, we hop out and thank the deputy for the ride. After closing the gate, we take a golf cart up to the house.

  When we enter the house, it’s eerily quiet. It’s impossible to believe that nine people are in my house. Nolan and Maia are sitting on the couch talking. The television has a kid’s show on. Presumably, James or Jackson was watching, and they didn’t change the channel.

  “Where is everyone?” I ask.

  Nolan shuts off the show while Maia responds. William and Nicholas anxiously waiting for her reply.

  “The Cavallaro family went back downstairs. Kelly is in the guest room, and Kelsey is with Norah and Tank in the master bedroom.”

  Nicholas excuses himself to find Kelly.

  “Thank you for coming over. I appreciate it on your day off. Maia, please be prepared to return to Maine tomorrow with Nicholas and Kelly.”

  “I’ll be ready, Jacob.”

  As Maia and Nolan leave through the front door, I don’t miss his hand on her lower back as he guides her through the door first. I’ll deal with that when a mission requires everyone. William follows me to the master bedroom. Slowly, I open the door. Tank is sitting just inside.

  “Your training skills rival Bear’s from the navy.” Bear is William’s former K-9 partner from the navy. He and Kelsey also have a new addition named Knox who is making progress in his training.

  “Thanks. I’m considering getting another for Norah. Tank normally comes to the office with me.”

  “She isn’t staying?” William sees my feelings too.

  Clearly, I was wrong when I thought I was being discreet. “I asked her to stay.”

  William nods, and the conversation ends when Kelsey slides away from Norah curled on the bed. She slips out the half-open door right next to William. His hand grips her hip possessively. He has a protector mode too. I suppose all servicemen have it, whether military or police. I wonder if it increases during pregnancy. I expect it does.

  “She nodded off about twenty minutes ago. On top of everything else, fighting with Gen really got to her.”

  “Thanks, Kelsey.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll start dinner in an hour or so.”

  “Thank you.” I release Tank and lock the door. Just the sight of her soothes my soul. I lower myself onto the bed and curve my body around hers.

  Ch
apter 57

  Norah

  As I snuggle deeper into his arms, he murmurs against my hair, “Tell me, gorgeous.” I have never been the girl to swoon over nicknames, but sweet mercy, his get to me like no one else.

  “Nothing to tell. It isn’t new that Gen only cares about herself. I just hoped that Kelsey’s reaction to her plans would have made Gen pause before accusing me of risking their lives.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No, this isn’t your fault. You brought them here for me, and I know you wouldn’t have if you had any single shred of concern for me or them, even if it meant I couldn’t see them. This is Gen’s fault.”

  “Will it help if I talk to her?”

  “I won’t stop you from trying, but presumably you’re part of the problem. I don’t care about Gen’s opinion.” I turn in his arms, sliding my lips across his. “I love you. That’s all that matters.”

  “I love you.” He kisses me softly again. “Are you sure? I could try to smooth things over.”

  “I appreciate it, but she’s not easily persuaded. It took Kelsey over a month to get an apology from Gen, and they’re besties for life.”

  “I’ll leave it alone.”

  “Thank you. What time is it?”

  “Near four. Why?”

  “I should get started on dinner,” I reply, attempting to move from the bed.

  “Kelsey said she would do it. Give me a few more minutes, and we will both go help,” he implores, tugging me closer.

  I nod against his chest. I may not know what my professional life holds, but I’m staying here with him. I don’t need to find a job right away. We need to talk about how that would work. I sigh.

  “Want to share what that deep sigh is about?”

  “It isn’t bad. We don’t have time to talk about it now.”

  He kisses my hair before lowering his lips to mine. “What is the topic?”

  “Where I want to live and what to do about work,” I mumble.