Her kiss held a sweet desperation that tore as his heart. Who wouldn’t want to be the center of this woman’s universe? Not sharing her was tempting, but she wouldn’t be happy if she walked away from the people who had become her family. “You sure about the yacht?”
She smiled, a mix of love and sadness in her eyes. “Don’t you have any toys of your own?”
“Of course, but nothing as impressive.”
“I’m not with you for the size of your . . . um . . . boat,” she teased.
“I have a better idea where to take you.” When she pulled back a bit cautiously, he laughed. “If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t make it out of the back of this car, and I want to show you my place up on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. It’s not fancy—no underwater bedroom—but it has a private beach, and we could make love to the sound of the waves crashing in the background.”
“That sounds perfect,” Alethea said, then murmured against his lips, “Although that dividing window is tinted, and it’s a thirty-minute drive back to my place.”
Hauling her onto his lap, Marc growled, “I love the way you think.”
A plan was forming in his head for a surprise for her when they returned from Massachusetts, but for now, all he could think about was how she felt against him. He wasn’t one who usually employed a private driver, but he could now see the perks of having one.
Abby met Dominic halfway down the stairs of their house and flew into his arms. “You’re back!”
He hugged her to him and buried his face in her hair. “It’s over.” The deep kiss they shared melted away her fear. For a moment she forgot everything beyond the feel of his lips on hers and the strength in the arms that held her to him. Relief came with a release of emotion, and she started crying even as their kiss continued.
With a hand on either side of her face, he broke off the kiss and wiped away her tears gently with his thumbs. “Don’t, Abby. It’s done. He’ll never bother us again.”
She searched his face desperately. “Are you sure?”
He nodded.
“Jake?”
Dominic looked over his shoulder and Abby stood on her tiptoes to do the same. She laughed when she saw Jake and Lil in a similar embrace a few steps below them. Jake was reassuring her sister between kisses.
Abby looked up into Dominic’s loving eyes again. “Alethea? Marc? Are they both okay? Stephan is inside with Nicole. He said he left as soon as he knew you had Sliver. He said no one was hurt. Was he right?”
Lil overheard her question and added one of her own. “Why didn’t Alethea come back with you?”
From the open door behind them, Marie called out, “Come on in, ladies—let your men catch their breath so they can fill us all in.”
Lil’s voice went up a few octaves when she asked, “She’s okay, right? If something happened to her, just say it.”
Jake kissed her on the forehead. “She’s fine,” he said, and smiled down at his worried fiancée. “She and Marc wanted some time alone.”
Abby cocked her head to the side at the revelation. “Alethea and Marc? Really?”
Dominic frowned. “I thought you ladies told each other everything.”
“We used to,” Lil said, so sadly, that Abby elbowed Dominic to stop him from inquiring further.
“Marie’s right. Let’s talk about this inside,” Abby said and wasn’t surprised when Dominic appeared to have no idea what he’d said wrong. As they walked in, she whispered to him, “Things have been rocky between Lil and Alethea lately.” As they crossed the foyer, Abby stopped suddenly. I’m blaming someone else for something that’s at least partly my fault. She took Dominic’s hand in hers and looked up into the eyes of the man she knew would love her no matter what she confessed to him. “And I haven’t helped the situation. I couldn’t let go of old insecurities. I wanted Lil to choose me over Alethea. She risked her life today for us, all of us. How petty am I that it took all that for me to forgive her for doing nothing more than loving Lil?”
Dominic raised her hand to his lips and kissed the inside of her wrist. “Before you bestow sainthood on her, wasn’t Alethea the one who told Lil that curfews were made to be challenged?”
“Yes.”
“Did you, or did you not, tell me that she was the one who encouraged Lil to take your car out the night she totaled it—a car you’d just paid off?”
Some of Abby’s tension dissolved and she started to laugh. Memories that used to be painful were now humorous when relived in the arms of her loving husband. “Oh yeah, that was her. Lil wanted to get her license, but I didn’t have the money to add her to my insurance so I asked her to wait one more year. Alethea thought taking the car would change my mind.” And in that humor she found the strength to face the heart of her problem with Alethea. “The more I tried to protect Lil, the more Alethea encouraged her to challenge me.”
“So you were both wrong,” Dominic proclaimed and smiled with encouragement. “You can fix this. Someone once told me that all you have to do to stop being an asshole is to remember that every word you say, every action you take, defines you. Was that you who said it, or Jake?”
Turning slowly, Abby put both hands on her hips and said quietly, “Did you just call me an asshole?”
Jake’s deep laugh boomed through the room. “Back away, Dominic. Don’t say another word. Run for flowers.”
Lil stepped in with advice where few would dare to tread. “Abby, I’m sure what Dominic was trying to say was . . .”
Marie followed suit, hoping to smooth the situation over, “It’s been an emotional day for everyone . . .”
Abby put up a hand to silence them. She stood before her husband, glaring up at him, and demanded, “No, I want to know what he meant. He’s a big boy. He can speak for himself.”
Dominic hauled her to him, and right in front of everyone said, “You were wrong about Alethea, Abby. You held a grudge too long. You’re flawed just like the rest of us, and I love you more every day because of it. I wouldn’t change a thing about you, Abby. No, you’re not perfect, and you don’t have to be, because you’re perfect for me.”
With a sniff, she threw her arms around Dominic’s neck and kissed him.
Standing beside Lil, Jake said sarcastically, “She let him off too easy.”
Lil laughed at him, and with a hug said, “I think it was sweet.”
He raised one eyebrow doubtfully. “And if I told you that you had flaws?”
“You’d sleep on the couch for a week,” Lil said, but hopped onto her tiptoes to kiss him impishly.
He deepened the kiss, reminding her of all the reasons why that would be a difficult stand for either of them to take.
Clearing her throat loudly behind them, Marie said, “Nicole and Stephan are waiting for all of you in the atrium.”
Reluctantly, the two couples separated and followed her down the hall. Rosella met them with little Judy in her arms as Colby toddled along next to her, holding onto her leg. Nicole was seated on the couch beside Stephan.
They both stood as the others entered the room. Dominic approached his sister and her fiancé. “Stephan . . .”
Abby put a hand on her husband’s arm in caution. “Dominic, are you sure now is the time?”
Nicole took a defensive stance between them, but Stephan gently pulled her back beside him. “You don’t need to protect me, Nicole. I know that I’m ultimately responsible for what happened today. Without me, Sliver would have never gotten as close as he did.”
Shaking, Nicole glared at her brother. “That’s not true. He used you, but if it hadn’t been you he would have used someone else. I won’t let Dominic pin all the blame on you—”
“Enough, Nicole.” Dominic’s voice boomed through the otherwise silent room.
Stephan straightened to his full height. In a soft but deadly tone, he said, “I don’t care if she is your sister. The next words you say to her in that tone will be your last.”
Dom
inic’s eyes flew to Nicole, and when he saw how he had indeed upset her, he reached out to her. She took a step back, shaking her head. He threw his hands up in the air. “Why does everyone assume I’m going to say something awful?”
Abby slid beneath her husband’s arm and hugged him. “Because you’re yelling? And people do that when they’re angry.”
Dominic swore. Continuing on in an aggressive tone, he said, “I am angry—with myself. Sliver thought he could divide and demolish us, and he almost won because I let my temper get the better of me and cloud my judgment.” He held out his hand to Stephan. “I appreciate what you did today.”
No one moved.
The air crackled with tension.
Stephan smiled tenderly down at Nicole, then shook his future brother-in-law’s hand. “I didn’t do it for you, Dominic.”
Jake lightened the mood with a bit of humor. “That’s as close to an apology and an acceptance of one as we’re going to get. Am I the only one who needs a stiff drink?”
“Here, this is better for you.” Marie handed him a squirming Colby, who grabbed his face between her hands and said, “Daddy. Daddy.”
Jake laughed, and without looking away from his giggling daughter, asked, “Does anyone know why her hands are sticky?” Amusement bubbled within those around him and spread until everyone was laughing.
The home phone rang and everyone froze, still off balance from the earlier events. Marie answered it, then said, “It’s Marc.” When Dominic made a move to the phone, she shook her head and said, “He wants to talk to Lil.”
Lil took the cordless phone from Marie and asked, “Is Alethea with you?”
She nodded once. Nodded twice. Then she said, “If you’re sure that’s for the best.” She seemed to agree with whatever Marc was saying and then her face lit up in a huge smile. “Really? Oh, my God, I would love to do that. I’m sure everyone else would, too. No, leave it all to me. I’ll organize it. Great. See you Thursday night. I’ll text you the location.”
After Lil hung up, Abby asked, “What would we all love to do?”
Suddenly unsure, Lil looked around the room hopefully. “Throw a surprise engagement party for Alethea and Marc when they return on Thursday. He wants to ask her to marry him in front of all of us.”
Abby put an arm around her sister’s waist and said, “Let’s do it.”
Tears filled Lil’s eyes. “You mean it?”
“Absolutely.”
Biting her lip, Lil said, “Marc said she can’t face us yet. He said we need to show her that we care.”
That glimpse of vulnerability in Alethea fanned Abby’s determination to make things right between them. “Then let’s make this the best damn party New York has ever seen.”
Nicole stepped closer, her voice growing stronger as she spoke. “I want to help you plan it. She believed in Stephan all along, and she’s the reason he came home to me. I don’t know how to begin to thank her for that.”
Marie joined them, smoothing her hair with determination. “I am meticulous with details. I would love to help, also.”
Rosella handed baby Judy to Dominic and joined the conversation. “A celebration will be good for all of us. How many people do you think we’ll invite?”
Abby pondered it for a moment, then said, “At least fifty.”
Nicole clapped her hands together in excitement. “We have to include the Andrades. They love stuff like this.”
“Maddy will lose her mind when she hears what we’re doing,” Lil said, a huge grin lighting her face.
“So we’ll plan for a hundred,” Abby said. The group was buzzing with excitement over possible locations and details. With everyone temporarily occupied, Abby laced her fingers with Dominic’s and gave his hand a small tug. He took the hint and bent an ear in her direction. “I will never take what we have for granted again. I’ll never complain about the security you employ. I am so grateful that everyone came home safely. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you.”
His hand tightened on hers. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know,” she whispered. Looking up into her husband’s loving eyes, Abby fell in love with him all over again. Better not to spoil him, though. “But don’t think this gets you out of midnight feedings,” she teased.
He groaned but hugged her to him with a chuckle. “As long as I can wake you when I’m done.” As he always did.
Abby winked and hugged him. Should I tell him that’s why I send him?
Nah, he’s a big boy. He’ll figure it out.
It was well past midnight when Alethea slid out from beneath Marc’s arm, wrapped a blanket around herself, and stepped out onto the deck of his small beach house. The cool night air carried the rhythmic sound of waves crashing in the distance, reminding her how she and Marc had made love their first night right there on the deck, in the glow of the moonlight.
And on the beach the next day.
Then in the shower.
Then gently the next morning when they’d woken.
Leaning against the railing, Alethea hugged the blanket tighter. Marc was more than she’d ever dared hope for. Passionate. Intelligent. Brave. Consistently better than a vibrator—and that wasn’t something she could say about every man she’d been with.
He would have laughed at that joke if she’d said it to him, and then he likely would have tackled her and made her pay for it in some delicious way. She smiled into the darkness and acknowledged to herself how well they fit—in and out of the bedroom.
She didn’t normally do long-term relationships. Friends with benefits was more her style. But Marc was different. Just the thought of him set her heart pounding and she started imagining how forever with him would be. He’d want children. A house they’d make into a home. There would be birthday parties, shared holidays. Family things.
Am I ready for that kind of life change?
I’d have to give up . . . traveling alone, eating alone, celebrating every accomplishment alone. Not that she couldn’t find male companionship whenever she wanted it, but she was discovering that if you’re not with someone who genuinely cares about you, it is possible to be with someone and still be alone.
I want a real life partner.
One who makes me feel like a valuable part of his team.
A treasured piece of his life.
Someone like Marc.
Unless I’m wrong about him.
She’d expected him to propose sometime during their last few days together, but he hadn’t. Was he regretting his declaration of love? Dangerous situations heightened emotions, and all his talk of wanting to marry her may have faded away once things calmed down.
Not something that would be easy to tell a woman.
Is that why we’re here? One hot fling before he breaks it to me that he doesn’t see how things between us could actually work?
He’s probably in there right now, rehearsing how to let me down easy on the flight home tomorrow. I should ask him to do it now while I’m still numb from the fact that I haven’t heard from Lil or anyone in the Corisi compound.
No “Glad you made it out alive” text.
No “Thank you for the heads-up” phone call.
What did I expect?
Nicole to thank me for freeing Stephan?
Lil said it’s not what I do that they find offensive but how I do it. I don’t know how I offended them this time, but I’m sure I don’t care anymore.
If I’m not good enough for them as I am, it is time to let them go.
“Hey, what are you doing out here?” Marc asked from behind, sliding his arms around her and resting his cheek against her hair.
“I needed some air,” she said, continuing to look out into the darkness.
“Are you thinking about your friends back in New York?”
“No,” she said too quickly.
He turned her in his arms and tipped her face up toward his. “I know when you’re lying.”
She refused to mee
t his eyes, snapping in response to feeling cornered, “What do you want me to say?”
Instead of reacting defensively to her tone, he continued to hold her, just hold her until she looked up at him. She saw love and acceptance in those deep blue eyes, and it shook her. Could he love her just the way she was? Could anyone?
“The truth. Nothing more. Nothing less. Don’t pretty it up. Don’t choose your words carefully. Not with me.”
Still pushing him away when she really wanted to hold him closer, she said, “And what if the truth is ugly? People always say they want to know, but they don’t. Not really.”
He caressed one of her cheeks with the back of his hand. “I’m not most people. I thought you knew that by now.”
Alethea turned away from him. “Why? Because we said some ridiculous things in the heat of the moment? Because the sex is good between us?”
Marc sighed behind her. “I didn’t say a single thing I didn’t mean. You can second-guess every moment we’ve spent together and twist it up into God-knows-what in that pretty little head of yours, or you can believe me. Love is a leap of faith. It doesn’t come with a guarantee, and no one can convince you it’s there if you don’t want to see it.” He stepped back and away from her. “I’m going back to bed.”
Alethea didn’t move even as she heard the door open and close behind her. She wanted to turn and run after him, but she didn’t.
She gripped the railing in front of her.
Am I really this much of a coward?
I’m going to throw away an incredible man now because I’m afraid he’ll leave me later?
Firming her lips into a line of determination, Alethea turned and walked into the beach house. She didn’t stop until she was standing angrily at the end of the bed, resenting that he looked like he’d been about to fall asleep again.
Staring down at him, she put a hand on one hip and said, “I hate not knowing what’s going on between us. I’m terrified that you’re going to wake up and realize that you can’t spend the rest of your life with someone like me.”
Breaching the Billionaire, AR, Kobo Page 22