Dangerous Beauty: Part Three: This is War

by Hardin, Michelle

“I know,” he said softly. “Your mother told me about us, that we are related.”

  Carter sat up and crawled down to the end of the bed. She sat with her back facing the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. When he pressed a long kiss to her forehead, Carter closed her eyes, not opening them again until he pulled back from her. He rested his cheek against hers, and ran his fingers through the long strand of her hair resting against his shirt.

  “It’s real, Carter,” he whispered. “I won’t let you take it away from me.”

  Carter sighed sadly. “Kyle—”

  “Quiet, woman,” he kissed her forehead again, “let me speak.” He sighed. “I fell for you because you are an amazing woman, Carterina. You know how you always tell me that I’m easy to love? Well, so are you. Don’t dampen the way I feel, don’t make my feelings seem as if they are merely figments of my imagination, or a crutch for me to use because I’m afraid of love. It’s insulting.”

  “I’m sorry,” Carter whispered. “Trying to find a reason for it just made it easier. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to feel like a … horrible person.”

  “For what, Carter? Falling in love? Baby, you did nothing wrong. You gave me chance after chance and I never took one. And it wasn’t because you aren’t worth it, Carter, because you are. I was an idiot. I was stuck in my ways and I missed out—which given the circumstances may be a good thing that I did—but all the same, I fucked up and let you get away from me.” He tucked her hair behind her ears. “Do you remember that night when you told me that you weren’t interested in casual sex with me? That you wanted something real, that you wanted more than that?”

  “Yes, of course I remember.”

  “When you were leaving that night, I saw you wiping your face. Were you crying?”

  Carter nodded. “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Because you—”

  “Yes,” she replied quickly so he wouldn’t say the words. She had cried that night because she’d thought he wanted the same thing she did. They’d spent so much time together, and he’d called her so often that she’d been under the impression that he had feelings for her, too. After he’d turned her down that night, she’d played it off and joked with him, trying to hide the truth. He had broken her heart.

  “But it was a good thing you turned me down, Kyle.” Though it had hurt her that night, Carter was genuinely glad that it hadn’t worked out between her and Kyle for multiple reasons. Nathan being the first. Carter would have ruined their friendship when she inevitably chose Nathan over Kyle. The attraction between them was just too strong. It was the type of attraction that had absolutely no regard for anyone else. They wouldn’t have been able to stay away from each other, and that would have destroyed everything. It was meant to happen the way it did, but she wouldn’t tell him all that. “It just would have made things more complicated. Because we are related.” It was the truth, just not the whole truth.

  “Carter, I love you.”

  “Kyle, stop it, would you.”

  “I can’t stop because I do! I always have and I always will. You will always be the one that got away from me because I was too stupid, because I wasn’t ready. Fuck being related, Carter, we didn’t get together because you belong with Nathan. It wouldn’t have been a good thing for any of us if I had interfered in what was meant to be. Nathan probably would have killed me.”

  Carter laughed softly.

  “It’s true, I know my brother,” Kyle laughed. “He’s always so sure of everything. You belonged to him the moment he saw you. He loves you so much, and you just you brought him back to life, Carterina. I’ve been so caught up in myself that I’ve never gotten a chance to thank you for reviving him in a way I never could.”

  Carter smiled. “He’s done the same for me.”

  Kyle nodded his head while gently tugging on a strand of her hair. “Nathan has been a good brother to me. I owe him an apology. I never would have made it through any of the shit I’ve been through without him. I get on Mickey for his hero-worship, but I’m just as bad. God knows I’d follow Nathan into hell if he needed me to. I’ve given him so much shit, and crossed so many lines, but he never gives up on me, and heaven knows I’ve pushed him to the limit. Especially when I spent the night before his wedding arguing with him about the love of his life, instead of celebrating with him. He was nervous about becoming a husband and I …” He shrugged, momentarily unable to speak.

  Carter ran her hand up and down his back, giving him the strength to continue.

  “I’m a shit brother.”

  “No you’re not. I know Nathan, he would never hold a grudge against any of you guys. He loves all four of you.” Nathan’s loyalty came from his father. Carter had seen the guys cross the line with Nathan numerous time. He’d shout at them, and they’d argue, but even though Nathan had the power to punish them severely, he’d never done it … and Carter knew he never would. He wanted the relationships that he had with his brother’s to remain genuine. Nathan didn’t want to be the boss every second of the day, sometimes he just wanted to be Nathan. The family gave him that out, that realness. His brother’s didn’t fear him like other men in the underworld did, and Nathan always told Carter how refreshing it was to have them in his life. “He needs you four just as much as you need him.”

  Kyle nodded. “I love him, too.” He looked over to Carter with a smile. “Nathan has always been smart. Marrying you is the smartest thing he’s ever done. You are his equal, Mrs. Salerno. And since my jealous ass didn’t tell you this the moment you told me you’d found love, I’ll tell you now.” He kissed her cheek gently. “Congratulations on becoming a wife, and a mother. I’m so happy for you. You deserve this happiness.”

  A warm smile appeared on her lips right before she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you, Kyle … I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “I know,” she whispered, sitting back down next to him, and gazing into his eyes. “You know I’m still going to find you the perfect woman, right?”

  Kyle laughed. “You’re relentless, woman.”

  “You’re damn right I am. You will have the love of your life, Kyle, and I will introduce you to her. She has to be smart, funny, nice, clean, and pretty, have a good career, and I have to like her of course since she and I will be spending tons of time together—”

  “Slow down, Carter,” he laughed. “I’ll make sure to tell you when I’m ready for all of this, okay?”

  Carter shook her head. “You won’t have to tell me, Kyle. I’ll know.”

  Kyle pressed three kisses to her forehead and sighed. “Well, I’m actually meeting a beautiful young lady tomorrow. We’re spending the day together. I think this relationship may actually work out for me. She’s absolutely stunning, too. Hands down the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

  Carter’s eyes brightened with excitement. “Really? What’s her name? Do I know her?”

  He chuckled. “Not yet, but you will. I actually have a picture.”

  Carter pursed her lips. “You took a picture, Kyle?”

  “I sure did.”

  She shook her head. Kyle could be so superficial. However, when he took out his phone and showed her the picture of his date Carter’s heart melted.

  “Sofia Nicole Valente,” he said with a soft smile in his eyes. “I think I’m going to drop the playboy title for a while, and pick up Papa. I need to grow up and focus on what’s important for once. I just want to make the people I love proud, you know, I want to be proud of myself.”

  Carter grabbed his face and kissed his cheek over and over again. “That’s so sweet, Kyle Valente. I’m so proud of you …”

  Kyle brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. Carter rested her head back on his shoulder and they sat in a comfortable silence … until it was broken by Gabriel.

  “Like, everything the two of you have said over there is pulling my heart strings.”

  They
both turned to look at Gabriel, who was now sitting up and looking at them with a wicked smile on his face.

  “You guys are so fucking sweet it’s not even funny. I was about to get up and say I love you in a second.”

  Carter and Kyle chuckled. “You’re supposed to be sleeping, Gabe.”

  “How could I sleep with all of this cuteness, all this friendship and love going on in here? Hi, Kyle, I’m Cousin Gabriel.”

  Kyle snorted. “Nice to meet you, Cousin Gabriel.”

  “Nice to meet you, too, mate. Hey, we should make some kind of club, you know, since our mothers are both Alexis Stone’s bastard children.”

  Carter’s mouth had dropped open when he’d said it. “Gabe!”

  “What? I’m telling the truth.” He chuckled. “I’m excited. From what you and Mother told me, I didn’t think any of the white people in our family would ever like us.”

  “Gabe!” Carter exclaimed through laughter. “I’m so sorry, Kyle. I can’t believe he just said that.”

  Kyle simply raked his fingers through his hair. “Man, you’re fucking crazy.”

  “I just think it’s fantastic to be a part of a family where we’re all so bloody attractive we start falling in love with each other.”

  “Oh my God!” Carter fell back on the bed, slapping her hands over her face in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, Kyle.”

  “All right, all right, I’m done,” Gabriel said as he came to the edge of the bed with them. “I kid with you both, just some family fun.”

  “Shut up,” Carter chuckled.

  “What is that?” Gabriel asked, pointing to Kyle’s side.

  Kyle looked down, noticing one side of his shirt had been up, and quickly put it down. “It’s nothing, just some old scars,” he muttered, shaking his head and averting his eyes.

  Carter knew what they were because he had showed her. She reached for his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

  “Battle scars, or the marks of a bad parent?” Gabriel asked.

  Kyle looked over at him with a frown. “Excuse me?”

  Sighing, Gabriel stood up from the bed and went to stand in front of them. “I asked if yours were battle scars,” he lifted his shirt over his head to reveal his bare chest, which was also covered in scars, “or did you have an abusive parent, like I did?”

  Carter had already seen Gabriel’s scars, but it never ceased to stop her heart every time she laid eyes on them. They were long, healed scars all over his chest and back from the night Silas beat him.

  Kyle cleared his throat. “My mother … but I don’t remember it.”

  Gabriel nodded. “My father … and I wish I didn’t remember it. Then maybe the dreams would stop.” He gave Kyle a thoughtful look. “You know it’s the same, right? Our battle scars are also our mark of a piece of shit parent. It was a different type of battle, but judging by the severity of that scar I saw on your side, you were fighting for your life just like I was.” He shrugged and put his shirt back on. “We won, we’re still here. Fuck them.”

  “I’ve never heard it said any better,” Kyle stated.

  Gabriel chuckled. “There we go, cousin. I just laid the foundation for a close friendship.”

  It was true, though. It was the foundation for a friendship that would last throughout their entire lives.

  ~*~

  “Nobody eats until my wife gets in here. I swear to you if do you’ll regret it.”

  “Nathan, sit your ass down. I’m hungry,” Alessandro said as he began to dig in to his food.

  Picking up a piece of garlic bread, Nathan threw it at his uncle. “My house, my rules, Uncle Alessandro!”

  Alessandro shot Nathan a deadly glare. “I should stabbed you with my fork for that. You are lucky that I was just about to reach for some bread.”

  Nathan chuckled. “The rest of you do not follow the lead of my fat ass uncle.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “There are three people missing from the table. Plus, uncle fat ass is eating an unblessed meal.”

  “Bullshit,” Alessandro said with a full mouth. “All of my meals are blessed.” He muttered a Catholic prayer in Italian and made the sign of a cross with his fork.

  Lucca sighed and shook his head at his father. “You’re a savage, Papa.”

  He shrugged.

  “It smells so good in here. I’m starving.”

  When Nathan heard her voice, he shot up from his seat. “My wife,” he rejoiced. “My wife is here!”

  Everyone flinched at his abrupt booming announcement, but quickly laughed.

  “Oh my God,” Dante chuckled, his face holding an expression of faked disgust.

  “We see her, Nathan,” Lucca said.

  Mickey shook his head. “He’s going to fucking burst any second, Carter. You have to put him out of his misery.”

  Carter giggled.

  Nathan shot a glare at Mickey and pulled out his wife’s chair. He wasn’t about to burst. He was just insanely eager to tell the rest of their family that they were pregnant, that’s all … Okay, fine. Nathan was man enough to admit he was about to burst. He just couldn’t help it, he’d never been more excited about anything more in his entire life … you know, besides marrying Carter of course. But this almost trumped that. Okay, it was equal.

  Nathan locked eyes with Carter as she sat down and silently asked her how they were going to announce the good news. Carter bit her lip to try and hide her smile. That usually meant ‘Be patient, Nathan’. However, Nathan didn’t want to be patient; he had been all damn day!

  After Carter had sat down, he pushed her chair in. Nathan took the chair next to her and waited as patiently as he could for her signal. He bowed his head while his father did a long ass prayer over the food, then quickly made the sign of a cross over his chest. He looked at Carter again. Seriously, she was just torching him now. Everyone was already starting to make their plates—

  That’s when he saw it. The signal. Carter flicked her hair over her shoulder and smiled, which usually meant ‘Go ahead, Nathan’.

  “Carter’s pregnant!” he announced excitedly.

  Carter and the guys burst into laughter.

  “Wait, what?” Anastacia yelled. “Are you serious?”

  Carter nodded and placed her hand on her belly. “Yes, it’s true. We are expecting,” she said through her laughter.

  Angelo dropped his fork. “Don’t mess with me like this, Nathan. This better not be a fucking joke.”

  “It’s not a joke you old bastard. We’re having twins!”

  “Twins!” Anastacia and Angelo simultaneously shot up from their seats and ran for them.

  Anastacia was screaming until she got to Nathan and hugged him tighter than he’d ever been hugged before. Angelo lifted Carter from her seat, voicing his joy boisterously in rapid Italian.

  This was a moment Nathan promised himself he would tell his kids about. The moment Mommy and Daddy announced you two were coming, and Grandma and Grandpa—two of the craziest people in the world—were in tears. They even hugged each other, all conflict between them momentarily forgotten as they celebrated the news of their grandchildren.

  Chapter 16: Family Time

  “Mmm,” Nathan moaned. “Damn …”

  Damn he was having a good dream. It felt so real. The dream was one he’d had many times before. In it, he was usually lying back on a bed or relaxing in a chair as he stared down at Carter’s ass raised high in the air while she was deep-throating his dick. It was one of his favorite fantasies, one that he’d actually explored with Carter a few times before.

  But never had the dream felt so real. And Nathan was talking real to the point that he was literally fifty seconds from coming. His eyes shot open from his deep sleep as the sensations began to intensify and he immediately looked down.

  “Carterina.” Her name came out in a low grunt as he watched her head bobbing up and down in a steady, precise motion. “Jesus fucking Christ!” It felt so fucking incredible.

&nbs
p; Nathan laced his fingers in her hair and bit down on his bottom lip as he fought against coming. He wanted this feeling to last a little longer before he stopped her. While he enjoyed the occasional blow job, he never came inside of her mouth. Coming deep inside her pussy felt too fucking amazing to do that.

  Feeling himself nearing an orgasm, Nathan quickly grabbed her head in attempt to stop her. She released him with a loud pop and giggled when he lifted her up to straddle his lap.

  “Nathan,” she laughed. “Why’d you stop me? You were close.”

  Breathing heavily, Nathan smiled slyly. “And miss out on your pussy?” Smirking, he shook his head. “Come on, baby, you know me better than that.”

  A wicked smile spread across her lips as she lifted her body and took the length of him inside of her hot, tight pussy. Nathan was pretty sure his eyes crossed as his head fell back in ecstasy.

  “Fuck,” he groaned. “Do not move, Carterina.” If she did, he was pretty positive that he’d come before her. He hadn’t done that yet and he wasn’t going to start now.

  Being the mischievous little vixen she was, Carter didn’t listen. She ground her hips in a slow circle and moaned.

  Nathan immediately stilled the motion when he almost came. “Shit!” he yelled. “I said don’t move, Carterina. You almost made me come, baby”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his ear. “Rub my clit,” she murmured, and nibbled on his lobe.

  Nathan’s erection became painfully harder when she’d whispered the words in his ear, but he clenched his jaw and managed to do what she said.

  She inhaled a sharp breath when he pressed his thumb against her clit and rubbed in small, quick circles. “Like that,” she said in a breathy whisper. Her arms tightened around him and she moaned, “Like that, Nathan. Yes! Now fuck me, baby.”

  They began moving together; Carter bucking her hips while Nathan delivered vigorous upward thrusts. Her nails dug painfully into his back at the same time she screamed, “I’m gonna come! I’m gonna come!” in his ear. And God was he going to come too. Nathan quickly switched up their position, flipping Carter on to her back. After throwing one of her smooth legs over his shoulder, he slammed into her pussy until and they both came, crying out the other’s name.