by Lillie Love
She nodded sadly as she made her way home. That was three days ago and neither she nor Nico could get hold of him. She had begun to worry as she dialed Nico’s number.
“Any news, Nico?”
“Morning, sis. No news, I’m afraid… I’m sure he’s fine. He’ll be back with us soon.”
“I don’t know, Nico.” She sighed, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m worried about him. Do you have any idea where he could be?”
Nico thought for a moment. “There’s only one place I can think of. He has mentioned in the past that he has a beach hut in Cornwall that he sometimes likes to escape to.”
“Do you have the address?”
“Mia—“
“Please, Nico. I need the address.”
*
An hour later, she was on the train to Cornwall. She didn’t know if he would be there, but she was going out of her mind with worry and couldn’t sit in her flat any longer, wondering where he was.
Six hours later, the train pulled into its final destination at St Ives in Cornwall. She took her bag and stepped out. It was already dark outside and the cold wind from the sea immediately attacked her hair, causing it fly out in all directions. Smoothing it down, she made her way out of the station and looked for a taxi — thankfully there were plenty of them waiting for passengers and she gave the address to the driver.
Mia’s heartbeat picked up as the taxi made its way up the steep road along the coastal path, silently praying that this wouldn’t end up being a wild goose chase. Soon a lone beach hut came into view, although she wasn’t sure why it was called a hut when it clearly looked the epitome of luxury. Perched on a grassy verge, Mia could imagine that the beach-front view along with the noise of the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the cliffs, would make a heady combination.
As they drew closer, she was silently thankful that she spotted the lights on. The taxi drew to a stop and Mia thanked him as she walked out.
“Should I wait, miss?”
Just then, she spotted Gino’s silhouette against the window. “Oh, no thanks, I’m fine.” She smiled at the friendly man as she walked towards the door, relief flooding through her body that he was well and safe. Her heart was racing as she rang the bell.
A moment later, Gino swung open the door, shock registering in his eyes.
“Mia, what are you doing here?”
“Um…freezing?” She shivered and he quickly moved out of the way, letting her inside. He slowly shut the door behind them as Mia stood awkwardly in the doorway.
“Come in, please.”
She followed him into the sitting room, her eyes drawn to the cozy log fire.
“This is beautiful.”
“Thanks. It’s a great place to think.” He sat on the sofa, indicating for her to do so as well. “Can I get you a drink?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks.”
Silence. “You came all this way? How did you know where to find me?”
“Nico said he remembered you mentioning this place.”
A small smile tugged on the corner of his mouth as he stared into the fireplace. She followed his gaze, finding the flames hypnotic.
“So, I got totally played, huh?” He shook his head, picking some lint off his trousers.
“I’m sorry, Gino.” She spoke softly, desperately wanting to reach out to him, but instead stayed put in her place.
“My life’s a fucking mess.”
This time she moved closer. She took his large hand in hers as he watched her. “It’s not, Gino. Look how much you have going for you. Louise was messed up…I’m just glad you found out now.”
“I still don’t know how you found out, Mia. Tell me.”
So Mia spent the next few minutes explaining about her and her parents’ concern, the conversation she overheard and the use of the PI. If he was shocked he didn’t say anything.
“I feel like such a fool. I see everything now. All the little bits that wouldn’t add up. She slipped up on the due date a couple of times, but blamed it on pregnancy hormones.” He shook his head, smirking. “I can’t believe the lengths she went to.”
Mia was silent as she held his hand. With her other hand, she reached up to lightly stroke his face and he lent into it, closing his eyes. She couldn’t bear to see him so broken.
“Why are you here, Mia?” He looked at her with confusion, torment and hurt. “You tried to warn me and I was too stupid to listen.”
“It doesn’t matter, Gino. It all worked out in the end.” She smiled, squeezing his hand for comfort. He was silent as he looked at the flames.
“So what’s the ending for you, Mia?”
“Ending?” She whispered as he turned and their eyes met, gazes locked. Suddenly, the air between them became charged. “I was hoping that this is just the beginning.”
With courage, Mia lent forward and kissed his lips. Unresponsive initially and disappointed, she started to pull away. Within a second, Gino gripped the back of her head and pulled her to him, kissing her with a passion she had never felt before. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips as wild desire swept through her. Abruptly pulling away, he lifted her onto his lap and looked at her with smoldering
eyes. Mia’s heartbeat continued to pound as her lips burned in the aftermath of their kiss.
“I’m messed up, Mia. I’ve fucked up.” He ran his hand over his hair, fighting their connection. “You’re better off without me.”
“Don’t ever say that, Gino!” She lifted his chin with her finger, as her eyes filled with tears. “I love you. I’ve loved you for so damn long.”
Before he had a chance to answer, she threw herself at him and kissed him with reckless abandon, giving every single fibre of her being to him in that kiss.
Reluctantly, they came apart and Mia noticed the tears in his eyes. “I love you too, Mia.” He kissed her with such tenderness that her face was wet with tears. “I’ve been a fool but I’m never letting you go again.” He tenderly brushed away her tears with his thumb, and his smile rivalled the sun. Pulling her closer to him, he wrapped his arms around her, filling her with warmth and joy. Mia leaned into him as he softly kissed her head. The flames continued to burn brightly in front of them, reflecting the depth of the passion they felt towards each other. Mia smiled contentedly. Their world was finally falling back into place.
EXCLUSIVE: My Best Friend’s Brother
**Never Before Published**
My best friend’s brother
Chapter One: Peyton
“What are we doing here, Julie?” My voice came out as a yell with the techno music blaring around us. Neon lights bounced around the large club as bodies jumped and gyrated on the dance floor. It was enough to give any sane person a headache.
“Calm down and enjoy yourself for once, Peyton,” Julie screamed back at me. “Can’t I treat my bestie to a good time without her complaining?”
“Not when it’s a rave and everyone in here looks like the high school kids I’m teaching Monday,” I said. I should have expected it with a place called Neon Nights. Seeing Julie’s idea for entertainment made me think I should have chosen the destination beforehand.
Julie convinced me to come out for my last free weekend before I started teaching biology for Weston Academy High School. After I told her my coming days and free time would be filled with lesson plans and grading, she demanded we celebrate my new job before she never saw me again, which was no less dramatic than Julie’s normal flare.
Her oldest brother, Max, worked as an event organizer in Los Angeles, so he often gave Julie perks for new clubs and bars in the city, since he was no longer into the nightlife with a wife and two kids.
“They’re not that young,” Julie said, pulling me through the dance floor. “This place is twenty-one and up. Besides, Max gave up his booth in the VIP section. It’s probably quieter and fancier back there.” She nodded to a place that was roped off and had a huge bouncer guarding it.
Whateve
r was back there in the VIP area had to be popular if his size and muscles were any indication of it being an exclusive place. He wore all black with the only color being the club’s pink logo on his chest, which the guard out front had on, too. He also wore an earpiece in his ear, which I would have missed if it hadn’t shown a blue light blinking on it.
Julie walked right up to the bouncer and gave him her you-don’t-scare-me stare, a look that even made me tremble sometimes.
“Max Mitchell has a booth for us. Julie Mitchell plus one.”
The bodyguard didn’t flinch or look away from her as he grabbed a black book that was on a small table next to him. He briefly glanced down and looked back up at us before speaking. “You’re not on the list,” he said.
“I know for a fact Max gave us access,” Julie said. “He wouldn’t lie to me. No one lies to me.”
“Look, little lady, you’re not on my list, and no one gets in here unless they’re on the list or get a green light from the boss.”
Oh, hell. Why did he have to call her little? Julie was petite, but she would beat anyone down for pointing it out. I blamed it on her growing up as the only girl in her family with five brothers.
It was up to me to do damage control, or Julie would have us thrown out and in jail before long with the temper she had.
“Don’t worry about it, Julie. We can go somewhere else,” I said, pulling on her arm.
“No,” she said. “Max said he reserved a section for us, so we’re not leaving until we get what he promised me.”
The bouncer crossed his arms. “I suggest you enjoy yourself out there with everyone else. Otherwise, I’m going to have to see you to the exit.”
“We’re leaving,” I said tugging on Julie, who wouldn’t budge.
The bouncer put his hand up and turned his head as if someone was speaking to him.
“He did not just put his hand up to me!” Julie said. “Hold my purse, Peyton.”
“It’s not worth it,” I said to her without taking her purse. I didn’t want to see what she could do with free hands. Some of the people closest to us were already staring. This was so not my idea of relaxing before work. “Let’s just go somewhere else.”
The bouncer moved quickly for his size. He unhooked the rope and stood to the side, which had both of us staring at him.
“Boss says you can go in,” he said. “Drinks are on the house for you, too.”
Julie and I glanced at each other before turning back to him.
“Your choice, ladies,” he said. “In or out?”
“In,” Julie said before pulling me past the entrance. We went down a dark hallway before coming to another neon-filled room. Music still played, but it wasn’t as loud. The neon lights were also more subtle than the ones in the general club area. A good amount of people were in the VIP lounge, but they wore fancier clothes that looked like they were worth more than I’d make a year as a teacher. They also seemed more our age and a little bit older.
It was actually a decent setup compared to what I had just experienced, which made me sigh in relief. Maybe I wouldn’t need a couple painkillers for a headache after all.
“See?” Julie said. “Totally worth it, right?”
“It’s not bad,” I admitted. At least lights weren’t flashing like an emergency drill and the music was a decent level to actually enjoy it.
“Ooh! They have Jell-O shots!” Julie squeaked as a waitress walked by.
People immediately looked our way, and I wanted to slink into a dark corner.
“Nope,” I said. “Not a chance.”
“Why not?” She actually tried her pout move with me. Julie did that all the time with her father and brothers, who all fell for it. Sadly, I had succumbed to it more than a few times myself.
I shook my head. “Two words: sophomore year. I’m not doing that again.”
“We were nineteen and invited to our first frat party,” she said. “It’s normal not to know your limits when you’re nineteen.”
“I’m pretty sure those things have the same effect on me now as they did three years ago,” I said as she pulled me to the bar.
“We’re supposed to have fun and fun means shots.” Julie sat down on a bar stool.
I was regulated to sit beside her. “You can barely taste the alcohol in them, which makes them dangerous. I’m not spending this weekend blitzed out of my mind. Can you imagine the first day of hell I’ll have to go through Monday?”
“You have all weekend to sleep it off. That’s why we took a taxi. You can’t turn down free alcohol. I’m sure that’s a bar crime somewhere. Besides, that bartender looks hot.” Julie beckoned him over before I could protest more. “Four Jell-O shots and two strawberry margaritas. Make those drinks nice and sweet, and there will be something sweeter for you later.” She winked to enhance her bait tactics.
As soon as he smiled, I knew she had him. How did she do that? Even after being friends since middle school, Julie had a way with getting attention from any guy she wanted.
“Coming right up,” the bartender said. He pulled the pre-made shots from the mini fridge before he started on the margaritas.
Julie handed me one shot. “Promise me something.”
I sighed. “I’m afraid to ask what it is.”
“Promise me before the night is over, you’ll do at least one thing out of the ordinary for you. Something non-Peyton.”
“Non-Peyton? What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Sometimes you get so stuck in your head you forget to have fun.”
“I have fun,” I protested.
“Watching the Discovery Channel all weekend is not the fun I’m talking about. I mean get out and live life. It starts tonight, okay?”
“Well, I’m out here doing a shot, aren’t I?”
“This doesn’t count.”
“Fine, Julie. Whatever.”
“That’s my girl,” she said, hitting her plastic cup with mine before downing the thing.
I shook my head before swallowing mine. Yep. I couldn’t taste the liquor. Thankfully, there were only two instead of the ten I did in college, which made me avoid all shots after that.
I figured my current crazy surroundings would look better with alcohol in my system. Maybe even the night would go by faster with it, too. I downed the second shot faster than the first and hoped for the best.
Chapter Two: Scott
I noticed her as soon as she walked in, and I knew I had to have her. She looked so out of place that it was hard not to see her, but there was more that kept my eyes on her body as she made her way through the club. Unlike most of the women who wore short dresses, ridiculously high heels, and lots of makeup to hide their true selves, this one was different. There was no need for the provocative outfits when she filled out a colorful tank top and black jeans so well. Her brown hair fell to her shoulders, and I had an urge to run my fingers through it.
She didn’t have beauty most people would notice right away, but it was one that had a sensual understatement while still making her gorgeous enough to get my cock to jerk in response.
She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her. I was so infatuated with her that I completely missed the woman she was walking with until all hell was about to break loose.
Shit. I should have known Julie would get here before I could talk to the manager. Max had completely forgotten to put her on the club’s VIP list, so he sent me to intercede before our sister blew up about it. I’d only been in town a few days and already I was doing sibling mediation. I couldn’t complain after seeing his hands full with his daughters, but this place was far beyond what I saw as fun.
“Is Dayton here?” I asked one of the security team guys.
“Who’s asking?” The idiot smirked and sized me up.
I was used to it when I came face-to-face with guys shorter or smaller than me. They always had the look. It was the look that said they were curious if they could take me down or not. The answer would
always be no.
I had been deployed on and off for the last four years. The Marines had broken me and built me back up to be the soldier I knew I was. If this guy gave me shit, he’d be down before he knew what hit him. Good for him, he seemed to know that.
“Max Mitchell sent me to talk to him,” I said.
“Wait here,” he said.
“Better hurry unless you want a problem to break out in the for your VIP clients,” I said. I was careful to stay cool and calm. “I’m sure Mr. Dayton wouldn’t want to piss off the family of his best club promoter.”
He glanced over to where my sister had finally met the security guard in front of the VIP area. He didn’t waste time going up the stairs behind him, hopefully, to get his manager.
I turned to look at the woman beside Julie again. I watched her from a distance without knowing who she was to my sister. Julie had so many friends from high school and college that it was hard to keep track of them, but I knew I would have remembered the woman who was with her if I’d seen her before. Maybe she was a friend from Julie’s job at the boutique or something. I was determined to find out who she was after I kept Julie from gouging anyone’s eyes out.
When the dumbass security guard came back out, he said, “You can go up now.”
He had the nerve to bump me, but I had other things to focus on. Julie wasn’t the only one who carried a Mitchell family attitude. I darted up the stairway, which led to only one door.
The office was big and color-coordinated in burgundy and deep reds, a stark contrast to the neon color madness in the club below. A large, tinted window gave view to the entire club area, while the other side had video screens of different camera angles through the place and what looked like a set sectioned off for VIP footage. Behind the wide wooden desk sat a woman in a burgundy business suit that blended with the office around her. She grinned as I walked in and closed the door behind me. “So you’re Max’s younger brother?” she asked.
“You’re Dayton?” I asked, expecting some millennial idiot to be running such a place.
“Tanya Dayton. I’m the owner, and I take it that’s your sister I see stirring up trouble?” she nodded to the screen, where Julie looked like she was seconds away from exploding.