When Kat tells the story of how she met her Lyon and fell in love, it gives me hope that I can have that. The others assured me that it didn’t take them long to know that their man was the one.
It gave me hope, though there was no doubt on my part where Devon was concerned. It was his distance that scared me most.
Until Danielle explained that that’s how they pretty much all were in the beginning. And Kelly, who’s new like me. She was still coming to terms with her whirlwind romance so I didn’t feel so alone. We were alike her and I, though she was a little ahead of me in the game by a few days.
Maybe that’s why I’d let her talk me into the dance tonight, why I’d trusted the women that it would work to get Devon to accept his feelings for me.
Feelings his sisters were sure he had but I was still doubting. How could I know he had feelings for me when he wouldn’t even touch me, and was always in a hurry to get away from me whenever we were alone?
But that day on the beach I’d seen another side to him. I’d seen the way he looked at me when he didn’t think I was watching.
If not for the women I would be scared out of my head. I’d only seen love from a distance or through my brother, but these feelings awakening inside me were all new and oh so frightening.
I was in a new place surrounded by people I didn’t know and my life was going through this miraculous change and it all seemed to be happening so fast.
And then he kissed me, and told me he wanted to have babies with me and nothing else matters. I don’t know what’s going to happen to me, what the big secret of my life is, but I know in my soul that as long as Devon is at my side, it will all work out.
“Well?” Kelly tapped my leg and brought me out of my reverie. I’d drifted away in my head while the others were whispering and laughing at their men and their antics.
“He kissed me.” I touched my lips as though I could still feel the pressure of his there. She squealed and the others shushed her even though they too were smiling and clapping their hands.
“Told you it would work, woot.”
“Okay-okay-okay shh, they’re looking.” Kat shushed us and we all took a look across the room at the men who seemed to be deep in conversation about something.
My tummy cramped a little when I thought it might have something to do with me and the reason I’d been brought here. But the look on Devon’s face soon calmed me again, only to send the blood heating in my veins.
“Oh my, I hope Hank looks at me like that.” Cierra fanned herself and grinned as my cheeks heated up. I couldn’t look away from him. I wonder if he knew that his eyes gave away everything?
I finally blinked and when I looked again he was talking to his brothers. “Oh damn I’m jumping Connor tonight.”
“As if you’d have to, the man can’t keep his hands off you.”
“You’ve got a point Vanessa but good heavens did you see that look? Who knew Devon had it in him?”
“It’s always the quiet silent types.” Ginger laughed and the rest of us joined in.
“You ladies are forgetting one thing. That dance.”
“Oh Kat I’m sure they’ve forgotten all about that.”
“Uh-huh, you ladies have so much to learn. These men don’t forget shit. I’d bet you good money if they don’t bring it up tonight, some time in the future it will be the topic of discussion and my ass will be on the line.”
“Why, you didn’t plan it.”
“Try telling that to Colton Lyon. As long as I’m anywhere in the vicinity he seems to think it’s my responsibility.”
“I’ve noticed that about them, they all seem to have the same school of thought. Melissa’s always starting some shit and Clayton ends up blaming me.”
“Hey, I’m not the only one. The rest of you pull your fair share of stunts.”
“Yes Missy, but not as often and nowhere near as hair-brained.”
That set off another one of their playful arguments as to who gets up to the most shenanigans. I’ve learned so much about who they are and who their men are from listening to their stories of their escapades, but each time I hear one I long to be part of that.
I want to make Devon crazy the way his sisters say they do their men. I want him to sneak off with me the way Colton does with his Kat when they think no one’s paying attention.
Or have him just touch me just because he can’t help himself the way all the men seem to with their women.
As I sat there listening to the laughter and gaiety with one eye secretly trained on Devon, I felt alive for the first time in my life.
I felt hope, like all those things he whispered to me out on the deck could somehow come true. My very own fairytale.
49
Devon
As soon as we got back to the island the women were rushed inside and the kids rounded up to make sure they were all in one piece.
The night was still young since we’d ended it early so the women decided to settle down in their favorite room while the kids went back to what they were doing.
The men headed up to the private room where Mancini made a call while the rest of us waited. “Nothing yet, but we have another problem; her brother.”
“Track, what about him?” I’d grown fond of the kid because of the stories she told me about him. Since I knew more about her story than she did, the fact that the kid had gone above and beyond to make her life better made my respect for him grow even more.
“He’s been digging his nose in again and he’s getting too close. I don’t think he understands the danger.”
“I’ll talk to him.” I should’ve thought of it once we realized what the kid was up to, but I figured since his sister was safe with us he’d give up his quest.
“The search for the general’s assassin is heating up. I had my people make a clean sweep after your friends left him so there should be nothing to point to anyone so that’s one less worry.”
“Lyon, your senator has been getting some interesting communications lately. He’s scheduled for a trip to the middle east next week.” Mancini gave him a telling look, which we all interpreted.
“What kind of communication?” Logan was the one to ask.
“Well, with the general out of the way the senator and anyone else involved in this mess are going to be trying to cover their ass.”
“Devon they still don’t know about the girl, but if her brother keeps pushing it might tip them off. So far I don’t think they know why he wanted in, you can thank her father for that. He did such a good job hiding her that no one even suspects.”
Yes but at what cost? Her whole life is one of secrets and shadows. How am I to know that if given a choice she would’ve chosen me?
Was I supposed to let her live now? Give her room to breathe? Fuck that no. Unfair it might be but I can’t see myself doing that shit.
I knew in my heart that what I want for her won’t be much different from what she was used to. I won’t lock her away in a room but she sure as fuck won’t have the freedom most women enjoy.
It’s the same with my sisters and these other women here. Every man in this room keeps a tight fucking leash on his woman no matter how he couches that shit.
But it’s not out of any need to be an abusive asshole, but to protect the thing they hold most dear.
Lyon, the undesignated leader of the husband brigade has been married longer than anyone else here and he still treats his woman like she’s gonna disappear if he doesn’t know where she is every step of the way.
“How do you guys do it?”
“Do what?” My question came at a lull in the conversation.
“The women Logan, how do you know when to pull back?”
“Pull back from what bro?”
“You know, when to give them space? How to not smother them or keep them from thinking you’re a possessive asshole? Because I gotta tell you, knowing what she came from, I don’t see much difference in what she’d face as mine.”
“Of cours
e there’s a difference Dev. We keep our women sheltered to protect them from the shit we know is out there, but once this shit’s over they’re going to be free to go anywhere they want to.”
“Yeah as long as one of us is there to make sure they’re safe right Con?”
“Yeah, what Tyler said.”
“But isn’t that kinda the same thing? Shouldn’t they be able to go out on their own…?”
“Boy, are you crazy? I’ve had a tracker on Kat and my kids since day one. Not because I’m afraid my wife’s gonna cheat on me, but because if some shit goes down I know where to find her.”
“That’s the world we live in brother. I wish I could fucking lock Caitie Bear in a room somewhere until she’s fifty, but that right there would be crossing the line.”
“Instead I teach my kid values and shit and hope that some of it takes and when she marries that stupid ass boy I’ma make sure he tags her ass too and if he can’t protect her the way I do, he can’t fucking have her.”
I’m not sure I should be taking advice from Lyon but even Lo was nodding his head. No wonder these women are always getting into shit, their men are crazy as fuck.
“So what’s the difference between you lot and the assholes who beat on their wives and kids, never let them leave the house, shit like that?”
The room went quiet as fuck before they all started talking at once. “Whoa-whoa-whoa I’m just asking. Because you know, she was locked away her whole fucking life. When the dust settles I’m gonna take her back to Georgia and lock her away again?”
“It’s not the same thing you ass. In Georgia she’ll have the whole compound to roam. I don’t think she was even allowed in the backyard at her father’s place.”
“Yes Tyler but there’s more to the world than the compound. What if she wants to travel? Take a cruise? Go to the damn store?”
As I said it I realized that none of my sisters had been let out of our sight alone in months. No wonder they’re always rebelling.
“Then that’s what we’ll do. Things are strained now because of this shit, until Khalil is eliminated their lives have to be this way, but once the danger passes things will relax a little.”
“I’m not saying I’m gonna let Gaby run wild but I’m sure as fuck not going shopping with her.”
“Same here. But just like Lyon we have tags on them though they don’t know it, but it’s just to keep them safe. Speaking of which you and Quinn need to get on that shit as soon as we get back.”
“So you see nothing wrong with locking them away Con?”
“They’re not locked away brother, it just seems that way now. But Dani has a job, so does Gaby, and Vicki, Susie has school and Nessa owes the military what another year or two? As soon as this shit’s over they’ll go back to their lives, we’ll just know where they are at all times.”
“What if she wants to get a job? What am I gonna do?” Why is this shit so hard?
“Dude my woman is an FBI agent.”
“Oh yeah, that’s bad. Shit, how do you deal with that shit Mancini?”
“I’m trying to get her ass fired.”
“Okay then so I’m not the only one that’s fucked in the head.”
“Nope!”
“Damn, I thought the women were in the media room; bitch made motherfuckers. Listen, we have a business, the women have jobs and school. Once we send Khalil’s ass to the hereafter, we’ll go back to life. She’s not going to be locked away brother, unless of course you don’t get your head out of your ass and the old king drags her back to Saudi Arabia.”
“Tyler what the fuck?”
“Well what do you think is going to happen if you hand her over to him? You’ll never see her again I can tell you that much.”
“I’ve already decided that’s not gonna happen.” That was tantamount to me announcing to the room at large that she was mine.
From the slaps on the shoulder and the congratulations I guess it didn’t go right over their heads. “Welcome brother, now prepare yourself.”
“For what Lyon?”
“To never have a moment’s peace.”
“To sleeping with one eye open.”
“To losing your fucking mind.” Everyone had something to say.
“Okay I get it.” I wonder why the hell they wanted me to take the plunge if it was going to be like that? But the smiles and stupid grins told me they were full of shit.
50
Devon
After agreeing to meet back here in the morning we left and went back to the women who were sitting around gabbing about who knows what.
I ignored my sisters’ knowing looks and sat on the arm of her chair. “Scoot over baby.” There wasn’t enough room so I lifted her and sat her on my lap.
“Did you have a good time tonight?”
“It was fun, my first party.”
“Where did you learn to dance like that?”
“YouTube.”
“Seriously?”
“Sure, I learned a lot of stuff that way. Track taught me how to log on without leaving a trace or dad would’ve skinned us.” She smiled and it was so open, so lacking in artifice or any of the things I’ve grown accustomed to from women.
I had a sudden thought, “you’re not shy are you baby?” She couldn’t be, not dancing like that in a roomful of people.
“No I don’t think so, I like to dance. But not if it’s going to upset you.”
“It wasn’t your dancing that upset me beautiful, I thought you were amazing. It was the men watching you do it that pissed me off.”
“Oh so Kelly was right.”
“Oh yeah, what did she say?”
“She said it would light a fire under your ass.” I could tell from the way she said that that she had no idea she was letting the cat out of the bag. Could she really be that innocent? I decided to test that theory.
“Do you like me Ariel?”
“Yes! I get butterflies in my tummy when you’re near and tonight when you kissed me, I thought I could fly.”
I stared at her nonplussed for the barest of seconds not quite believing my ears. I looked around at the others but they were busy smooching so I knew my sisters weren’t putting her up to this.
“Do you remember what I told you on the yacht?” She nodded her head and pulled at her skirt. “And you’re okay with that?”
“I’d love to have a baby!” Did she have any idea of the shit storm that would follow if I just took her? Of course she doesn’t, and she never will.
“And you want that with me?”
“I never wanted it before.”
“But you’ve never been around anyone else before either have you.”
“You won’t understand.”
“Hold that thought, come with me!” I felt sure that the others were too preoccupied to be shoving their nose in my shit when I got to my feet, took her hand and pulled her from the room behind me.
Once outside I removed my light jacket and put it around her shoulders. “Walk with me.” I took her hand again and felt the slight tremble as I headed towards the beach.
“What do you mean I won’t understand? Won’t understand what?”
“My feelings. You think that because my life was so different from yours that I don’t know what I feel.”
She was right to a point but how does she know that? She can’t possibly know me that well. “How do you know that?”
“Because I’ve been studying you, it’s something I’m very good at, reading people. I feel like I know you now. I know you want to protect me because you think I’m wounded. You know why I was shut away don’t you?”
She dropped that in there so neatly I almost walked right into it. “I do, but don’t ask me to tell you about that right now. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”
“Just tell me this. Is whatever it is going to take you away from me?”
“No; never, I won’t let it!” I was saying that as much for her as for myself.
“But tell
me honestly Ariel, how sure are you about this? You say you’ve been studying me, and no doubt my sisters have been filling your head with stories, but you have no experience with anything like this.”
“All my life, I’ve done nothing but dream. Dream and imagine what my life would be like if things were different.”
“When my brother fell in love, it was eye opening. I’d only seen love in movies, or read about it in books, but I knew that if I ever found it I’d know.”
She looked up at me then and I would’ve given her the world if she asked.
“I said you won’t understand because you’re like my brother, you and your brothers you’re… you think differently, like men. Protectors, providers, you love in a different way.”
“But love isn’t something you can explain Devon. It doesn’t matter if you’re someone like me, who’ve been shut away my whole life, or someone like you who’ve been free. Love just is.”
She pulled my hand to her chest where her heart beat wildly and I became suddenly tongue tied. She made it sound so easy, could it really be that simple?
“I know because of what I feel when you look at me. Or how my heart races when you’re near. I know because I dream about you at night and it makes me sad to think of never seeing you again when this is all over.”
“Fuck baby.” I took her face between my hands and lifted it to mine in the moonlight. She got up on her toes to meet my lips halfway.
I tested her with soft nibbles of her lips before deepening the kiss the way I wanted to and sank into her. “Don’t ever change Ariel!”
I kissed her nose and looked down at her shaking my head. “No matter what your sisters say, don’t you ever change you hear me?”
I grinned at her to let her know I was kidding before taking her hand and carrying on. “I don’t know anything about sex though so you’re going to have to teach me.”
I almost fell over my damn feet in the sand. I tried to answer her but there was a frog in my throat, not to mention the python behind my zipper.
SEAL Team Seven Books 6&7 Quinn and Devon Page 32