Conquering Love (The Santorno Stories)

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  Theo chuckled.” Are you okay?”

  “Why do you have to say things like that?” Tomas rubbed his head.

  “I’m not blind.”

  “I don’t know.” Tomas pulled himself up on the edge of the pool and fell back.

  “I know he has feelings for you.” Theo moved to the pool’s edge and yanked Tomas back into the water.

  “Hey!” Tomas tried dunking him.

  “You’re so cute!” Theo mussed his hair and held him at arm’s length.

  “Ugh!” Tomas looked at him. “You’re lucky you’re taller than me.”

  “I also outweigh you.” Theo cocked an eyebrow.

  “By what? A hundred pounds?” Tomas snickered.

  Theo picked him up and held him over his head. “Mmm, about seventy-five.”

  “Put me down!” Tomas laughed as he squirmed.

  “Okay.” Theo smiled and dropped him into the water.

  “I could say the same thing to you. I’ve seen how you look at James all lovey-dovey,” Tomas managed to splutter. James Greco was Jake’s brother, and Tomas was Dante’s brother. Their shitty fathers had told their mothers the two had died at birth and used them to work for their mob organization as they grew older. The truth finally came out, the situation was handled and Theo and James were now where they belonged.

  “I don’t want to push him.” Theo looked at the sky. “It’s going to rain.”

  “Yep. Let’s head back.”

  Tomas made it back to the house in record time and stood briefly in the bedroom doorway watching Leo sleep. The man was drop-dead gorgeous; his dark hair and piercing green eyes were a breathtaking combo.

  Tomas stripped out of his wet clothes and crawled up the bed to hover over Leo. He kissed him and Leo’s eyes sleepily opened.

  “Hey.” Leo reached up and stroked Tomas’ cheek.

  “You’re getting lazy.” Tomas dropped a kiss on his mouth.

  “It’s my week off.” Leo pulled the blankets back for him.

  Tomas settled in on top of him and began to kiss him, loving the sounds he made. His hand moved down Leo’s thigh and stroked his ass. He smiled as he kissed his neck and finally returned to his mouth, his tongue requesting entrance. There was nothing as wonderful as kissing Leo.

  When Tomas kissed Leo in Malta when they finally got together, it was so different from the first time they had kissed. At that time, Tomas’ heart had belonged to James. Leo pulled him closer and Tomas slipped inside him.

  Leo gasped and arched.

  “Are you okay?” Tomas lightly kissed him, licking his bottom lip.

  Leo looked into his eyes and knew without a doubt he was in love. He drew Tomas down and kissed him thoroughly. They moved together and Tomas kept his thrusts shallow before plunging in deeply. Leo was moaning as Tomas continued to kiss him and move more urgently.

  “Oh God, Tomas!” Leo gasped. Tomas never made love to him the same way twice and Leo couldn’t get enough of him. “Move in with me.”

  Tomas stopped mid-thrust. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, but not right this second! Don’t stop!” Leo arched his hips upward and Tomas thrust harder now. Leo shouted with pleasure and Tomas followed seconds later.

  Tomas kissed Leo’s neck, leaving tiny nips across his collarbone. Leo played with the younger man’s hair.

  “Yes.” Tomas looked into his eyes and smiled wide.

  “Really?”

  “I would love to wake up with you every morning, Leo.”

  “Don’t you do that now?” Leo chuckled.

  “I don’t have a drawer.” Tomas pouted.

  “You will now.”

  Theo was watching James sleep. He lay by his side caressing his cheek. James Greco was beautiful, with the most gorgeous blue eyes he had ever seen. You just fell in them and never wanted out. Theo pulled the blanket back and saw James was still naked. He cocked an eyebrow and smiled at the size of his dick.

  “What are you doing?” James smiled with his eyes closed.

  “Admiring your package.” Theo chuckled.

  James pushed Theo back and crawled on top of him. “Were you out running?” James ran his fingers down Theo’s chest, watching the goosebumps break out.

  “Yep, ran into Tomas.” Theo put his hands behind his head.

  James could feel himself drooling at the size of Theo’s biceps; you could wash clothes on his damn abs.

  “So, you and your bestie talk?” James chuckled.

  Theo sat up, pulling James into him. He ran his hand into his hair, pulling his head back and attacking his neck. James wrapped his legs around Theo and moaned.

  “God, I love that,” James breathed.

  Theo ran his hands up James’ back, pulling him in closer. He kissed his neck softly, letting his tongue run across his collarbone. James had such soft skin and Theo ran his hands up and down his back. “I love your skin.”

  “I love your hands,” James countered.

  James palmed his face and kissed him. Theo’s tongue slid in and he wrapped himself around him tighter. Theo grabbed the lube and James smiled as he waited. Theo slid in and James let out a loud moan and lay back on the bed, arching his back.

  “Damn, James!” Theo looked at him grabbing the blankets as he pushed in.

  “Theo.” James moaned and his whole body moved with Theo’s thrusts. a Theo’s hand gripped his ass, pulling him onto him further.

  Theo kept his thrusts slow and deep, watching James’ face the whole time. Theo knew he was in love with him; he had been falling for him a little every day since they first saw each other again. Theo pulled him up and took his mouth, his hand held James’ shoulder, pulling him in deeper.

  “James!” Theo was close to coming.

  “I know!” James panted.

  Theo picked him up and lay him down on the bed, adjusting his thrusts and James came hard, his orgasm splashing his stomach. Theo thrust again and came hard, calling out James’ name.

  “I don’t want to move,” Theo said after a few minutes.

  “I don’t think I can,” James chuckled.

  Theo palmed his face and kissed him. He loved kissing James; that hadn’t changed since James was eighteen.

  “Theo?”

  “Yes?” Theo licked his bottom lip.

  “Will you move in with me?”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I mean, if you don’t want to…”

  “It’s not that,” Theo hurried to say. “I just thought – well, this is your house with Tomas.”

  “I already talked to Tomas about it he’s okay with it. I think his feelings for Leo are a lot more than he realized.”

  “You’re okay with that?” Theo searched his face.

  “Of course, I am.” James pulled Theo down and kissed him.

  Theo responded with enthusiasm. James was so damned adorable. He was maybe five-foot-eleven to his six-foot-three and Theo outweighed him by a lot.

  “What?” James looked at him.

  “You are so cute.” Theo smiled. “Yes, I’ll move in with you.”

  “Really?” James’ face brightened.

  “See, that’s what I’m talking about! You’re so cute and happy – you look like a sniper in a gun store,” Theo chuckled.

  “I do look like this in a gun store,” James agreed.

  “I know.” Theo held him tight.

  Theo’s cell phone rang and James looked at his boyfriend desperately. “Don’t answer it.”

  “You know I have to.” Theo palmed his face.

  James watched as Theo picked up the phone. “Mitchell.”

  He looked at James and ran his hand down his stomach.

  “What?” James whispered.

  “Roger that.” Theo hung up and looked at James. “I have to go.”

  “What?” James sat up. “Without me?”

  “I’m going with Tomas; you and Leo have the week off, remember?” Theo kissed him softly.

  “Where?” James sat up as Theo thre
w his boxers on.

  “Iraq.” Theo looked at James’ face. “Don’t do that.”

  “What?” James tried not to cry.

  “It’s just like any other mission, James.” Theo sat on the edge of the bed.

  James flew into him, holding him tight. “I have a bad feeling.”

  “I’ll be okay,” Theo soothed him.

  “Promise me you’ll come back to me.” James held his face in his hands.

  Theo lifted his hands away and looked into his eyes. “I promise.”

  James held him close. He knew he loved him, it was a matter of telling him, The thought of losing Theo was a gut bomb. He may have loved Tomas, but his feelings for Theo were even deeper.

  “You coming to the airstrip?” Theo smiled.

  “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  Katarina opened her eyes to see Josh’s strong chest and admire it.

  “Good morning.” Josh smiled, eyes closed.

  “How did you know?”

  “I’m trained remember?” Josh chuckled.

  “How did you do that? I mean, when you guys went to Alaska?”

  “You just do. Landon and I knew we had to build a shelter and find food or we were going to freeze.”

  “And you shoot a gun.”

  “Well, I can shoot more than one kind.” Josh sat up. “Are you okay with that?”

  “Well, seeing as that’s going to be your career, I kind of have to be, right?”

  “I want you to be okay with whatever I do. If we are going to be together, I want your opinion,” Josh insisted.

  Katarina absently studied his body as she thought. He had gotten taller, he was now six-foot-one to her five-foot-five, and his biceps were the size of her thighs

  “I know what you’re capable of, Josh,” she finally answered.

  “I don’t think you know what any of us are capable of.”

  “When it comes to me, I do,” Katarina replied. “I saw your face and heard what you said to Brody.”

  “And I meant it. I will kill him Kat.”

  Katarina caressed his cheek and leaned in, their lips met and Josh pushed her back deepening the kiss.

  They both heard their grandfather calling them in for breakfast. Josh stood up and pulled Kat up in his arms.

  “To be continued?” Josh smiled.

  “To be continued.”

  Katiana woke up with a massive migraine. She sat up too fast.

  “Shit.”

  Landon reached for her. “Your dad told me to come in here with you.”

  “You didn’t mention this to me last night?” Katiana cocked an eyebrow.

  “This is more fun.” Landon studied her. “Are you okay?”

  “My head hurts.” Katiana lay back.

  “I’ll get you something.” Landon got up and went into the kitchen. “Morning, Grandpa.”

  “Morning, how’s Kat?”

  “Headache.”

  Jordan grabbed a pill bottle. “This should work.”

  “Oh, my God!”

  They suddenly heard Kat’s loud voice from the bathroom. Landon locked eyes with his grandfather. “Uh oh. Mirror.”

  Landon headed back to the bedroom and saw Kat in the bathroom looking at her lip.

  “Oh, God!” Kat put a washcloth on it.

  “Hey.” Landon turned her around and pulled the washcloth off; he kissed her cheek and stroked her hair. “You still look beautiful.”

  “You’re biased.” Kat tried to smile at him.

  “Because I’m in love with you.”

  Jordan popped his head into the bathroom, smiling sympathetically at Kat before addressing his grandson.

  “Get suited up, Landon.”

  “What’s up?”

  “You guys are going to train today.” Jordan looked back at Katiana. “It doesn’t look bad.”

  Landon followed him out. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing yet. Your dad and Lorenzo want to test you.”

  “Just me?”

  “No, all of you.”

  Tanner stood with Nico, the rest of the guys as they showed up. They chatted among themselves and Stefan arrived. “Any ideas?”

  “Nope.” Nico shook his head.

  “Good morning.” Lorenzo stood with his arms crossed.

  “What’s going on?” Nico asked.

  “We may need more help on this mission than we bargained for. If we do, I need you all in the best shape.”

  “We leave for Arizona in one hour; you will train in the mountains.” Dimitri looked at them.

  “The mountains.” Nico narrowed his eyes. “How bad is it?”

  “It is not bad yet; we have called in more teams.” Lorenzo gazed around the group. “Say your goodbyes, we meet at the airstrip in one hour.”

  The girls had accompanied all of them to the airfield. Phoebe hugged Stefan hard and he kissed her softly.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he reassured her and winked.

  Katiana and Katarina were holding on to Landon and Joshua with death grips.

  Landon smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s just training.”

  “I know.”

  Jordan kissed Viktoriya and smiled. “Will you have dinner ready for me?”

  “And a bath.” Viktoriya smiled.

  “That’s my girl.” Jordan smacked her ass.

  Damon palmed Lily’s face and kissed her softly. “Love you.”

  “I love you.” Lily hugged him.

  They watched the jet take off and held hands. Katiana looked at the other girls. “Why do I feel like this is going to get worse?”

  “I feel it, too.” Lily bit her bottom lip.

  The mission that was supposed to last two weeks was ongoing well over a month. James and Leo had been called in. James sat on the desk watching Lorenzo on the phone. He hadn’t heard from Theo in over a week and Leo hadn’t heard a word either. His cell phone jolted him out of his thoughts and he saw Theo’s satellite phone number.

  “Oh, thank God.”

  The voice that came over was full of static and not English. James snapped his fingers getting everyone’s attention and put it on speaker phone. The man was speaking in Arabic; James understood and spoke back. After a few seconds the man switched to English.

  “I have your friends; we call them traitors.”

  “We were not sent there to infiltrate, just observe.” James looked at Lorenzo and he nodded.

  “We have rules. They will die.”

  “What kind of bargain do you want?” James looked up as Stefan and Jordan arrive. “We have money.”

  “You do not have enough to spare them.”

  “I beg to differ.” Stefan took over the call. “I can pay you whatever you want. I have a feeling, though, that whatever number I give you, you will want more than that. Am I correct?”

  “Say goodbye to them.” The phone was handed off and James heard Theo cursing.

  “Theo!” James shouted into the phone.

  “I’m okay!”

  “Oh, God. Theo.” James looked desperately at Leo.

  “Leo.”

  “Tomas?” Leo moved to the phone.

  “Don’t give them shit!”

  “We will stop this.”

  The line went dead and James gripped the desk tightly. “Oh, God.”

  “Call everyone in,” Stefan ordered Lorenzo.

  “Everyone?”

  “Everyone.”

  They were all at the airstrip and this time the circumstances were different. Juliet hadn’t stopped crying and she held onto Conner.

  “I’ll be back,” Conner palmed her face.

  The rest of them were the same. Katiana hadn’t stopped crying since Landon had gotten the call, and Katarina was the same. Lily was in Damon’s arms begging him not to leave.

  Damon took her face in his hands. “I’ll come back; you have to have faith in me.”

  “I do.” She blew it by breaking down into tears again.

  “Stefan.” Phoeb
e wrapped her arms around him.

  “I know. I’ll be back before you know it.”

  Jordan stood with Viktoriya, kissing her goodbye. “Be good.”

  “Be careful.”

  Heath, Caleb along with the rest of the group studied Mark and Chris. “You okay watching them?”

  “They watch themselves.” Mark looked at Paul. “Watch your back.”

  “I’m a Greystone.” Paul winked.

  “Please watch over Colin and Conner.” Mark palmed Paul’s face and kissed him.

  Chris held Dimitri and they pressed their foreheads together. Dimitri pulled him in tighter and kissed his forehead.

  “You know I will be all right.”

  Chris kissed him. “Watch out for yourself and our son. Are you sure you don’t need me on coms? Or hacking?”

  “I need you here. I love you, Christophe.” Dimitri kissed him.

  “I love you,” Chris sighed.

  Nikolai stood with his fathers in full gear. He watched Colin with Conner and looked at his dad. “I’m not comfortable with Colin coming.”

  “Tough shit. He’s trained just as you are,” Vince replied.

  “I’m different than him, Dad.” Nikolai looked at his father.

  “Then watch out for him.” Vince looked at his son; he was a Markov through and through.

  “Tanner.” Nico took his hand.

  “Don’t even say it, Nico. I’m going.”

  Josh stood with his son and husband. he took both their hands, and they all hugged. Jason palmed Josh’s face. “I understand why you don’t want me to go. I’m not happy about it, but I understand.”

  “I can’t lose you Jason, not ever.” Josh kissed him softly.

  “And you.” Jason took Joshua’s face in his hands. “Don’t even hesitate.”

  “I won’t, Dad. I know the rule; it’s me or them.”

  “Let’s go, we have people to bring home.” Stefan clapped his hands and waved everyone in.

  Mark stood with the girls and Chris watching the plane take off. He held them tight and tried to reassure them. It was sickening knowing the last thing they’d heard had been the people who had taken Theo and Tomas threaten them with death.

  Lorenzo was impressed. Not only had the guys all hit their landing zone perfectly but he couldn’t even see them in the mountains. They had blended in the minute they hit the ground. Jay looked at him and smiled.