by Jolie, Mika
Lily froze, she recognized that voice. Gwen. Straightening herself, she tried to pull out of Adam’s embrace. He kept her in his arms, though removed his hand from her ass.
“Good to see you again, Gwen,” Adam said warmly.
Yeah. They totally used to be bed buddies. She could tell by the way Gwen tucked her hair behind her ear. Which only meant one thing…Adam had rocked her world.
Lily wriggled her body, Adam tightened his hold.
The pretty nurse smiled at them. “Feeling better?”
“Yes,” Lily answered as warmly as she could; only she was plagued by jealousy. Not that she should. Hell, she’d slept with other men before Adam. Two others to be specific, but whatever, there were others. “My arm is bandage-free.” She extended the arm she scraped during the fall. She hadn’t needed stitches, just something to protect the cut from infection.
“That’s wonderful.” Gwen smiled brightly, a little too bright. Lily squirmed. Adam held her still. “Well, it was nice to see you both. I need to check on a patient.”
They stood in silence until Gwen made a left turn and disappeared. “You totally slept with her.”
“Is that a question?”
She shot him a look. He smirked. Not that she was jealous or anything. “Just for my sanity, in case I ever make this place my home…I mean just in case you ever ask me to marry you.” Oops, she didn’t mean to bring the M word back up. Especially since he hadn’t acted upon her request for him to ask her again. “I mean…”
“My past doesn’t matter,” he said somewhere deep in his throat.
In other words—yes, we rolled around naked once or twice.
Yeah. She was officially jealous.
“I haven’t wanted anyone else since the first time we kissed on the beach.” He leaned a little closer and brushed his lips on her ear. “Just you and me. No one else matters.”
Lily felt her knees giving in to the weight of his words. One hand went up and clung on to Adam’s steely bicep.
“You’re okay?”
She nodded.
“Good. Let’s go find something to do before I meet your family. Do I look presentable?”
His tone told her he was teasing. Probably because he already knew he looked good enough to eat. Dressed in a plaid shirt tucked under a long-sleeve grey Henley and toasted brown slim fit khakis, with a two days scruff, he looked relaxed, casual and as if he just stepped out of a magazine. No, presentable wasn’t the word to describe how Adam looked. She could think of other words. Strong, delectable, delicious, yummy. But presentable. Nope, he was too dangerously sexy to ever look presentable.
“You already know you look so good it’s a sin. Why do you think I want to jump you all the time?”
“I thought it was my charm.”
Well, that too. Once she saw past the I’m an asshole façade, he was quite charming.
Adam laughed and slung his arm over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
At exactly two in the afternoon, Lily sat in the Maserati beside Adam in the Martha’s Way parking area. Her eyes immediately spotted Rafa’s black Land Rover. Her heart sped up. She scraped a hand through her hair.
“Breathe, Liliana.” Adam took her hand and brought it to his lips. “If you want I can stay with you the whole time.”
She shook her head and flashed him a smile. He had to go run some errands with the other guys for part of the afternoon. Which worked; it would give her time to really talk to her parents. She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. This was it. Time to tell her parents they were going to be Abuelos.
“Ready?”
She nodded. “Yes.” But her voice shook. Damn it, her nerves were getting the best of her.
Adam ran the pad of his thumb over her cheek, her lips. “You and me, we’re in this together. I’ll cancel with Jason.”
She met his eyes and saw the determination, the stubbornness. He had her back. No matter what…just like she had his. “No need to cancel. I’m ready.”
* * * *
From the outside, Lily appeared in total control, but Adam sensed her nerves. She held his hand a little tighter and her smile was a little too quick. This side of Lily was new to him, and he wished he could take away the anxiety he knew was eating her inside. Instead, he squeezed her hand back and headed to the large sitting area where laughter and busy chatter could be heard down the hall. He recognized the voices of his friends Blake, Jason, and Forrest, all there welcoming Lily’s family. Minka and Claire were in Oak Bluffs picking up their parents. Claire was due back on the island today as well and Jason had sent the inn’s car service to pick her up.
Voices of other men reverberated in the room as well, strong, masculine voices, similar to his own and his friends, but belonging to Lily’s brothers. He felt her tense next to him and his gut tightened. Not out of nerves, but for the first time in a long time, he felt helpless. This was one of those moments; Adam wished superheroes truly existed and that he had superpowers, at least telepathic, so that he could transmit thoughts to her family. They entered the room, all eyes turned on them. It became as quiet as a graveyard in the night.
Adam took a quick survey of the room. His friends stood by the bay window, circled in a group with three other men. Her parents stood by the fireplace a few feet away. His eyes fixed on an exact replica of Lily. Her mother looked like a version of Lily from a different time, before she cut her hair. The woman’s peaceful beauty gave him a glimpse of what Lily might look like as her age.
The Musketeers, as Lily fondly labeled them, resembled their father more. Bronzed and standing around six foot plus, they had their dad’s hair coloring in various lengths. One was sporting a military buzz, muscles straining his shirt. Zander. Adam noted. He was the SEAL, the second oldest. He glanced at the second one. He was leaner, in low-slung, fitted black jeans and a vintage black T-shirt. His hair tousled. Maximus, or Max as often referred by his sister. The youngest of the brothers, just a little over a year older than Lily. Then his eyes clashed on the oldest of the Serrano brothers. He had sun-kissed brown hair, his mouth compressed to a hard line. Rafael. None of them gave him a welcome vibe, but Rafael, or Rafa as Lily often referred to him, looked the most pissed-off with lots of attitude.
Their eyes went to Lily’s hand, the one Adam was holding. Then at Adam’s face, their sister, then back at him. Yeah, they wanted his head on a platter. Too bad, he wasn’t ready to be anyone’s dinner unless that person had long, tanned legs and was named Liliana.
Adam squared his already broad shoulders, silently sending them a message. You want a fight, come get it. With Lily at his side, he ignored the boys and walked straight ahead to her parents. Like hyenas, they continued to watch him. Assholes. He continued to ignore them…on purpose.
“I’m Adam Aquilani,” he said to her parents, extending his free hand. “I’m going to marry your daughter.”
“What?” That came from Zander.
Adam didn’t even flinch. He caught the surprise on her parents’ faces. Their gazes went to their daughter, then back at Adam.
“Oh fuck no!” That was Rafael.
“Rafael.” Their mother scolded without even looking at her son. The strength in her accented voice surprised Adam. “Sorry about that.” She smiled warmly at Adam. “My boys can be a bit…”
“Rude,” Adam finished just for kicks.
All three muttered something under their breaths. Adam was able to make out the words break and neck. He held back a smile.
“This is my husband, Raúl.”
“Mr. Serrano,” Adam acknowledged the older man. The two shook hands.
“How long have you been dating my daughter?” her father asked, like his sons, there was concern in his eyes and not as much warmth as his wife. Adam didn’t blame him. He’d react the same way, or worse.
“A little over a year.”
Raúl looked at his daughter, then back at Adam. “A year. That’s a long time. I can’t say we ever heard
of you, Mr.…”
“Adam. Call me Adam.”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Rafa approached them. “They haven’t been dating. They’ve been going at it like two fucking teenagers.”
“Rafa, watch your mouth.” Their father scolded the angriest of them all.
This time Adam even heard Zander and Max snicker.
“She’s pregnant,” Rafa continued, ignoring his parents’ words. He glared. “He got her pregnant and now he’s trying to do the honorable thing.” He laughed. “At least you’re not as much of an asshole as I imagined.”
“Jesus, Rafael,” his mother said sternly. “Sit down.”
Rafael let out a long slow breath then slumped into a chair. Adam almost laughed. He caught a glimpse of his own wolf pack trying very hard not to laugh.
“We need a few minutes with our daughter, Mr. Aquilani.”
“Adam.”
Lily’s mother smiled at him and nodded. “Okay, Adam. And you can call me Carla.”
Adam turned to Lily, looking for the okay that he could leave. She smiled at him. A faint smile, but one that said she could handle things from here on. He lowered his head and kissed the corner of her lips.
“Jesus!” All of the Musketeers hollered in harmony.
“I’ll be back around six to pick you up.”
“You’re not staying here?” For the first time Max spoke, his voice dangerously low. “You’re sleeping at his house every night, with him?” He threw the words without looking at Adam.
Adam dragged a hand through his hair, silently telling himself to keep his temper in check. He failed. “For Christ’s sake, Liliana is not a child. Stop acting like she’s ten.”
Blake was quick by Adam’s side. “Let’s go. We have things to do.”
“Liliana?” Rafael scoffed. “You call her by her full name?”
Adam ignored the other man and focused his attention on Lily. “I’ll pick you up at six.” He nodded at her parents. “I’m going to marry your daughter, with or without your consent. I’d prefer to receive your approval. Come have dinner with us Thursday night. I’d like for you to meet my parents.”
“We don’t get an invite?” Zander muttered.
“Nope,” Adam responded without looking at them.
“Well, too bad. We’re a package deal. If you invite our parents, we come too.” Rafa grumbled.
Adam could have sworn he’d never met anyone angrier than this guy. Even more so than when Jason went through his I-don’t-give-a-fuck phase.
“We’ll be there, Adam.” Lily’s father answered. “We’ll talk more when you pick Lily up tonight.”
He shook the older man’s hand, leaned over and placed a kiss on Lily’s mother’s cheek. A bold move, he knew that, but hell, that was a part of his culture, Lily’s as well. More importantly, he wanted to send the message he was here to stay. Like it or not. Adam took one last look at Lily. Her skin was flushed. She looked a little sick. He glanced over at Jason. They had a full list of things to do. But damn it, he didn’t want to leave her.
“Go,” she whispered. “I’ll see you in a few.”
Adam fought the need to pull her in his arms once more. “If your brothers give you a hard time, call me. I’ll be right over,” he whispered in her ear. “You and me, together. Got that?”
She nodded.
Once Adam stepped out of the room with his friends, the voices of Lily’s brothers sounded all at once. He stopped and stood in the hallway, ready to go back inside and beat the shit out of her brothers. His friends, as expected, stayed by his side. Then he heard Lily’s voice.
“Adam’s right, you know. I’m not ten. Get out! I want to talk to Mom and Dad alone.”
“Over our dead bodies,” Zander said.
“We came here to kill him,” Rafa grunted.
“And I promise we’ll make it quick,” Max said.
Adam snorted.
“They’d have to go through us first,” Jason said in a low voice. “They’re as big as us, but I can take at least two of them down.”
“Leave us alone with Lily,” their father ordered. “And stop acting like immature thugs.”
“What!” All three echoed. “He’s…”
“¡Dios!” Their mother said, the frustration in her voice loud and clear. “I don’t want to hear the F bomb again. Go wrestle each other and let us talk to Lily.”
After a lot of moaning and groaning, the room grew silent. The door opened and the three Serrano brothers came face to face with Adam, Forrest, Blake, and Jason. They sized each other up.
“We’re going to kick your ass.” Zander looked fixedly at Adam.
“Unfortunately, we’re a team here, family,” Jason said calmly. “You’d have to beat up all of us, and I promise you that ain’t gonna happen.”
“It’s not you we want,” Zander informed Jason. “We like you.” He shrugged. “But if you don’t mind getting your pretty face smashed.”
Jason laughed. “Try me.”
Rafa smirked. “Flag, then.”
“What the fuck is flag?” Adam questioned between clenched teeth. All of them purposely keeping their voices low, so not to disturb the conversation going in the other room.
“Football, pretty boy,” Max informed. “Flag football.”
Adam chuckled. “You’re calling me pretty? You’re standing here in a pair of skinny jeans and a pretty designer T-shirt.”
Max pulled lightly at his shirt. “My jeans are tapered, and this is a vintage tee.”
Adam scoffed. “Still pretty.”
“And you look like you just stepped out of GQ magazine.”
Adam waved his hand. “All three of you can kiss my ass.” He turned to leave just as the front door opened. Claire stepped inside. She looked at the three men, clearly appreciating the view. She was officially a traitor.
“Claire,” Max said with a note of recognition.
Claire did a double take, then smiled and threw herself in the man’s open arms. This time it was Forrest who snorted.
“Oh, my God, I never made the connection,” Claire said in awe, “You’re Lily’s brother.”
“What are you doing here?” Max asked. There was warmth in his voice. Adam grunted, so did Rafa.
Claire finally turned to look at Jason and the others. “Well, I grew up with these guys. They’re family.” She flashed Adam and the others a smile. “This is Max.”
“We know,” Adam muttered.
“Max and I met a long time ago, and he shot my fall cover for Vogue.”
“You were naked,” Forrest pointed out dryly.
The big lug had been quiet during the whole exchange. Another man recognized Claire and apparently took naked pictures of his woman and he was suddenly alive and ready for some ass kicking. Adam shook his head.
“I wasn’t naked. I had a sheet over me.”
“It was pretty obvious you were naked underneath.” Forrest waved a hand toward Max. “And this is the guy who took that picture.”
Claire crossed her arms over her chest. Her almond eyes shooting fire at Forrest. “Not that you have any say in the matter, but Max is good at what he does.”
Rafa and Zander let out a chuckle. Claire turned and gave them the same look. The two men cleared their throats.
Rafa stepped forward, took Claire’s hand and brought it to his lips. “You’re famous, aren’t you? A singer. A friend of mine likes your music.”
Claire smiled at Rafa. “Thanks.”
“Let me take you out to dinner tonight,” Rafa continued.
Oh, hell no. Adam moved forward to wipe that arrogant smirk off Rafa’s face, but Forrest beat him to it. He grabbed Claire’s hand and pulled her against him. For a brief moment, Claire looked like she was going to check him, but thought better of it and stayed in his arms.
“Stay away from Claire,” Forrest warned.
Rafa shrugged carelessly. “Is she yours?”
“Claire is busy.”
Rafa raised an eyebrow
. “Doing?”
“Him,” Adam, Blake, and Jason said together, looking in Forrest’s direction.
Claire threw her hands up in frustration and stepped out of Forrest’s hold. “Hello, I’m right here.” She let out a breath. “What did I walk into? The battle of the biggest balls?”
No one answered.
She picked up her black textured Mulberry overnight bag and threw it over her shoulder. “Well, go on. I’m out.” She stopped and surveyed each one of them. “Where’s Lily? I haven’t talked to her since the accident.”
“You hurt my sister?” Zander asked.
Unable to continue this conversation any longer, Adam raked a hand through his hair. “Listen girls, I got shit to do with my friends. You want to take your frustration out on me then flag football it is.” He walked up to Rafa. “I’m going to allow you one good hit tomorrow. And that’s only because I understand why your panties are in a bunch. After that, you hit me hard, I hit you hard back.” He assessed the other two men. “You girls can decide who gets that one lucky hit tomorrow.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Without exception, all epic loves start with a massive dose of lust.”
Anonymous
Panic clawed inside Lily’s gut to her throat. Wringing her hands, she glanced at the large industrial clock on the wall. Barely fifteen minutes had passed and her parents had not said a word. She glanced at the door. No Adam. Lily inhaled a deep breath and put on a brave face. “Say something,” she said at last. “I’ve broken one of the Serrano rules. Tell me how much I’ve disappointed you.”
“Is it true, bebé?” her mother asked. “Is Rafa telling the truth?”
She looked at her parents; no disappointment in their eyes, only concern. “I’m starting my eight week.” As if the baby had always been there, Lily ran a hand over her stomach and smiled. “I was scared when I found out, so I didn’t tell you.”
“You can tell us anything,” her father said.
Lily smiled weakly. “I know, but I’m single and pregnant. Not exactly an ideal situation for me.” She tried to sound brave, calm. Instead her voice cracked, on the verge of tears.