by Erin Trejo
His face softens as the words leave my mouth. I feel like a complete ass for what I said, but it’s the truth. I want a home. I want something I can hold onto and be happy. I want to live and love. I want to have kids. I want that so much and none of that is an option right now.
“I never said you had to run around with me Skye,” he says in a low tone.
“But if you had I would have done it Keaton.”
Reality is a tough bitch to swallow. If he would have asked I would do it just because my feelings for him are that strong. I would follow him around anywhere just to see him smile and to listen to him laugh.
“I would never ask you to choose somethin’ like that.”
“Oh. So when this is over you’ll just leave me?”
Fuck. What am I doing? Why am I pushing him like this?
The car jerks and skids to a stop. Keaton throws the car in park and leaps out of the door in record time. My chest is tight as I try to focus on what’s happening, but when the passenger door flies open he’s yanking me out of it and my head spins.
“I’d never make you choose. Do I want you? Fuck yeah I do. If I could make you want me the way, I want you then I would do it in a heartbeat. The one thing I couldn’t do is make you choose to be with me Skye. Don’t you see that? Not everyone is happy travelin’ the world, but that’s what I do. You want me to settle down in one place? Would that make you happy?”
His hands dig into my shoulders painfully. I’m still cuffed to the door, so I can’t move away from him.
“So that you could be unhappy? Don’t you see that? I wouldn’t make you choose either Keaton. I wouldn’t want you to.”
The air between us is thick, but neither of us knows what to say to the other. He came out of nowhere and stole my heart. Now I’m trying to find a way to repair it.
“Fuck Skye. Fuck,” he says as his hands loosen on my shoulders.
He drops his hands, steps back, and runs his hand through his hair. His gaze is on everything but me.
“I can handle my family without you Keaton.”
“Do you really not trust me Skye?”
“This isn’t about trust.”
“It is. If you trusted what you feel for me then you would already know that I’m not gonna let you do this alone.”
His words slam into my heart. There’s an ache that only Keaton can fix and right now I’m slowly pushing him further and further away from me. I don’t want him to get hurt because of me. He’s taken enough risks and faced enough of the wrath for what my family is doing.
“I don’t want to see you get hurt any more than you already have been. All of this is my fault Keaton. You’ve been shot, beat to hell, and forced into a job you didn’t want because of me.”
Keaton takes the two steps separating us quickly and wraps his hand around the back of my head to pull my lips to his. His kiss is far from nice or sweet. It’s hard. It’s broken and full of need. He’s begging in his own way and I can’t stop myself from giving into him. He has a hold over me and there is no way I can shake it no matter how hard I tell myself that I can.
“I never thought these words would leave my mouth, but I love you Skye. I’d take a million fuckin’ bullets for you. I’d gladly take ten more ass beatins’ for you. I’m not walkin’ away from you no matter how fuckin’ insane you might be. I can’t,” he says through gritted teeth.
“You think I’m insane?” I ask narrowing my eyes at him.
Keaton chuckles and rests his forehead against mine.
“I say all that and all you hear is me call you insane huh?”
“You did say that part a little louder than the rest.”
“I love you Skye. Don’t make me leave you,” he begs softly.
“Don’t leave me Keaton. I love you too.”
I kiss him back and he lets me. His tongue sweeps through my mouth tasting me in ways that have my pussy throbbing. If I wasn’t cuffed to the door I might have dropped to my knees.
“Can we lose these now?” I ask when I pull back and motion toward the cuffs.
The smirk that crosses his face is sexy as hell.
“I kinda like you in them. We might need to use them a little more often.”
He digs into his pocket, pulls out the key, and releases my arm. As soon as he does I shove my hands into his chest.
“Don’t you ever handcuff me to a door.”
“Don’t ever act like a little bitch that needs to be handcuffed to a door,” he replies.
“Don’t call me a bitch.”
“Don’t act like one.”
“Asshole.”
“I plan on shovin’ my cock in yours later. Now get that sexy ass in the car so we can go handle your daddy issues.”
69
Keaton
We sit in the car as I look up at the house. Well, mansion. That’s not a fucking house. I’ve never seen anything like that shit.
“Do you think we should go in or do you think his ESP is going strong today?” Skye asks fucking with me and I can’t help but like it.
“What exactly do you think is gonna happen when we pull up to the gate?” I ask looking over at her.
She giggles before she rests her hand on my arm.
“Is the big, bad biker afraid?” she asks me in a baby voice.
I want to slap the hell out of her, but that will have to wait until later.
“You’re the one that said you don’t like bikers Skye,” I say thinking this is an important piece of information to remind her of.
“Take the cut off. That way he won’t know,” she says raising an eyebrow.
I shake my head. I slip my arms out of my cut, fold it, and put it in the back seat.
“Don’t go after your brother. We need to see how your dad reacts first,” I warn her.
I don’t have a plan at this point. Skye was hell bent on coming here and I know that there was no way to stop her, so I came along. I don’t know what the fuck we’re walking into and that is what bothers me the most.
“Should I warn you against the same?”
“Probably.”
I put the car in drive and pull toward the gate while my heart is stammering in my chest. I hate not having enough intel in this type of situation. I roll the window down as I get closer. The guard stands there glaring at me as if I’m crazy as hell for being here. Fuck, he might be right.
“Jasper?” Skye leans over the seat and into my lap to smile out the window.
“Miss DeLuca. What a pleasant surprise,” he says, but his eyes don’t convey the same pleasantries.
“Can you call and let dad know I’m here?” she asks sweetly.
I wonder where this little shit came from? She hasn’t been this nice to me yet. I glance at her while he pulls out his cell phone.
“When do I get the sweet treatment?” I whisper.
She turns her head and kisses me gently, “There. Now shut up.”
I shake my head as the man next to us waves us on.
“I don’t like this. There’s no way out,” I grumble as I take in the area.
A gated entrance typically means there’s another exit somewhere, but it’s hidden. I don’t like the unknown.
Pulling up front I park the car when the front door flies open. A man in an expensive looking suit stands there with wide eyes. Skye leaps from the car and runs up the stairs to throw herself into the man’s arms. He hugs her tightly. I climb out and walk around the car watching the scene in front of me as it unfolds.
“And you would be?” the man asks me when he pulls away from Skye.
She wipes her eyes and motions for me to come up the steps. I’m nervous as hell and very unsure of all of this. I don’t mess with the mafia world and I don’t know what to expect here. I climb the stairs cautiously and make sure I don’t take my eyes off of him.
“Dad this is Keaton.”
Something registers on his face when she says my name.
“You’re the hired guard,” he says as if he knows
me.
That’s when it all hits me.
“You hired me?” I ask confused.
He nods his head when Skye moves and wraps her arm around my waist.
“What is this?” he asks pointing to her arm.
“What do you mean?” she asks innocently.
I have to stop the chuckle that threatens to escape me. She’s such a smartass.
“This. Why are you holding him as if you’re together?”
Skye must be able to feel my body tense.
“We are together. Why did you hire him?”
“I hired three. Where are the others?”
He looks around as if they may appear from thin air. I don’t want to give up my position too easily.
“Around,” I reply calmly.
“This makes no sense. What are you doing here?” he asks.
“Dad this is Keaton. Keaton meet my dad, Liam DeLuca,” Skye introduces us by name this time.
I figure I’ll be the bigger man and extend my hand to him. When he takes it I’m almost shocked. Skye had warned me that he didn’t like bikers. Seems almost ironic that he’d hire them.
“Come inside. Clearly we have a lot to talk about.”
DeLuca turns on his heel and walks in with Skye right behind him. As soon as we’re inside the doors close and I can hear a lock click into place.
That would usually alarm me, but for some reason I feel calm.
We follow her dad through the house to a living area where he gestures for us to sit. Skye pulls me down next to her on a huge couch while her dad takes a seat in the chair across from us.
“Why are you here?” he asks looking straight at Skye.
“We needed to talk to you. I needed to talk to you. Who the hell is after me and why did you hire them?”
Her attitude is off and I can’t say that I don’t like it. She’s being feisty and a feisty Skye makes my cock hard.
“I hired them to protect you,” he says dryly.
“From who?”
DeLuca looks away before slowly pulling his gaze back to hers.
“Your brother.”
The gasp that escapes her didn’t go unnoticed. I slip my arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to my body. I want to protect her from all of this.
“Why? Why would he want me dead dad?” she asks with a hint of a sob in her throat.
“I’m dying Skye. Someone needs to take my place. You made it clear that you didn’t want to, but Antonio knows that I signed it all over to you anyway. He wasn’t very happy with me. He warned me that I was making the wrong choice. I didn’t listen to him. You are the oldest. You deserve everything.”
“I don’t want it,” she screams cutting him off.
“I know that you don’t, but you’re a DeLuca.”
“No. I’m a Xavier. I never asked to be a DeLuca. For as long as I’ve been alive you’ve known that I don’t want this. I’m not ruthless. I’m not a killer dad.”
Tears slowly stream down her cheeks. This is killing another piece of me.
“I wrote that into the will. You may do what you please with the fortune Skye. When I wrote my will I left you with everything except for my place as the head of the family. Your uncle will take my place, but the money is yours to do with as you please. We only have one problem,” he says the words solemnly.
“What problem?” I ask with a growl.
“My son. Her brother. He believes that if he can remove her then everything will be his. That is not a chance I was willing to take. He has always been reckless and unstable. Always. Which is why he was never in the running to take my place.”
“Where is he?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him. He said that he would handle his problems and that’s when I hired you to protect her,” he says looking me in the eyes.
“You lost him? You didn’t track him? Did you know that he blew her fuckin’ car up? How about that he tried to shoot her?” I roar before standing from my spot and moving toward him.
Skye screams from behind me, but my focus is locked on him. I grab the lapels of his jacket and rip his up from his seat.
“Keaton stop.”
“She could have been killed,” I growl in his face.
“That’s why I hired you,” he screams at me in return.
“You son of a bitch.”
I pull one hand back into a first ready to fuck up his world when Skye grabs me.
70
Skye
Keaton’s fist shakes in my hand. He wants so badly to hit him, but this isn’t his fault.
“Keaton please,” I beg him.
His eyes stay locked on my dad until he slowly begins to relax. His hand comes down and he releases the hold that I had on him. I take a step back. He jerks me roughly into his chest and smashes his lips against the top of my head.
“I didn’t know what he was doing, but I wanted to make sure someone was watching her.”
His words aren’t directed at me.
“Well I did fuckin’ watch her and he tried to kill her. I would suggest you get your ass in motion and find that son of a bitch,” Keaton barks.
“I’ve got people on it. They’re still looking for him. He’s smart on some fronts.”
I release a sigh as my dad and Keaton stare each other down. It pisses me off that Antonio would go so far as to do this even knowing that I wanted nothing to do with this life.
“I’m going to ask that you stay here until we can find him Skye,” my dad says locking his eyes with mine.
“As long as Keaton stays too.”
My dad shakes his head slowly.
“I don’t keep the hired help here Skye. You know that. He did his job. I’m sure he has other places to be.”
My body trembles, but it’s not from fear. It’s anger. I want nothing more than to snap and slap my dad in the face. Keaton can feel it simmering in me. I know that he can. His hand tightens around me. He pulls me closer.
“It’s fine Skye. You’re safer here than in some shitty ass hotel,” Keaton utters.
I whip my head around. I scowl at him.
“I’m safe with you. Don’t you dare turn this into a fight Keaton,” I snap.
Keaton’s lips curl into a smirk and a chuckle escapes him.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Good. Let’s go,” I say grabbing Keaton’s hand as I head to the door when my dad stops me.
“Wait. You can both stay. You did protect her up until now. You have my respect for that.”
I watch my dad wondering if he’s going to say something else but he doesn’t. He just smiles slightly and turns on his heel leaving us alone in the room.
“Well that was fuckin’ awkward,” Keaton mumbles.
“Just a little bit. Want to order something to eat? I’m starving.”
I grab Keaton’s hand and lead him toward the staircase and up to my old room. We pass a few of my dad’s guys on the way, but they don’t say a word. I’m grateful for that.
“I can’t believe that little shithole you lived in. Look at this shit,” Keaton says as he stares.
“My apartment was not that bad.”
I push my door open. It’s still exactly like I left it. I take in my old room as Keaton follows me.
“I never pegged you for one to like the pink, fluffy shit,” he says with a chuckle.
I shoot him a look before I smile and shake my head.
“It’s not really my thing. It was always done for me like everything else in my life.”
I drop onto my bed and stare up at Keaton. His eyes are bright and full of love. I can’t stop looking at him.
“What did you want to do when you were younger?” Keaton asks as he saunters over and sits on the bed next to me as his arms circle my waist.
“I don’t know. I never knew what I wanted to be. What I did know was that this life wasn’t for me. I wanted a life. I wanted a family and kids. I didn’t want to kill and be known as a DeLuca.
“You want kids?” Keaton asks shifting closer to me as I snuggle into his embrace.
“Who wouldn’t? I want to be the mom I never had. I want to be someone that my child could look up to. My mom left right after Antonio was born. Dad never said why and I don’t care to find out. I want to be more than that you know?”
Keaton smiles broadly before he kisses me. His warm, soft lips are inviting. I kiss him back with equal enthusiasm. His hands run up my neck and through my hair. I love the feel of him touching me. He’s caressing me.
“You ever fucked a biker in daddy’s house?” he whispers as his lips move across my cheek and down to my neck.
I’m so lost to the feel of him that the world could explode around us and I wouldn’t even notice.
“No. I want to though.”
He sucks the skin of my neck into his mouth. A moan escapes me.
“You like that?” he asks as his tongue runs down my neck to my shoulder.
His hands move and slip beneath my shirt. His skin on my skin drives me wild. My breath catches in my throat when his fingers tug my nipples into hardened peaks. I arch into his touch. I need him to be closer, with less clothing.
“I thought you were hungry?” he asks with a chuckle.
I groan and grab his shirt. I’m pulling and tugging to get it off.
“I’m hungry for you.”
Keaton pulls back and his eyes are dancing with fire. I love that look on him. He’s so fucking gorgeous.
“Get it all off,” he growls while he stands from the bed.
I watch him pull his shirt over his head and reveal all of those gorgeous muscles and tattoos that make my body hum. He watches me intently as I stand and start to pull my clothes off. When I’m completely naked he smirks as he shoves me onto the bed. My body bounces as I giggle and watch him climb up between my legs.
“Do you even realize the power that you have over me Skye?”
His question throws me off. I wasn’t expecting him to say anything like that.