This Thing of Ours (The Gamblers Spin-off Novel)

by Sarah Curtis

  She cupped his face with her hands and gave him her eyes. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  He kissed her again, but unlike the last one, it was a soft meeting of their lips, yet it was no less potent. Their hands still cupped each other’s faces, and Gabby had never felt more connected to another human being. His tongue traced her bottom lip and then the top but didn’t seek more. It was a tease of a kiss, but it was the best kind of tease possible.

  His fingers, longer than hers, reached to the back of her neck, adding pressure and bringing her up on her toes. And still their kiss was featherlight, almost more a mingling of breaths, as if he were savoring the moment.

  “I won’t touch you until I talk to Nico,” he panted against her lips. “But, God, I want to.”

  She licked her lips, her tongue dusting his in the process and he growled, the fingers at her neck digging deeper.

  “You’re killing me, streghetta.”

  He was killing her, too. She reached up higher on her toes, leaning farther into him. “No one has to know.” Jeez, when did she become so desperate? Oh, that’s right, the second Marco laid hands on her. She’d waited twenty-two years for him, and she wasn’t sure how much patience was left in her.

  He moved his head back, and his eyes penetrated hers. “I would know. We do this right, or we don’t do it at all. I threaten, torture, maim, and kill. My honor is the only good piece of me I have left.” He took a large step back, breaking their connection.

  She dropped down on her heels and leaned back against the wall for support, hugging her arms around herself to keep from touching him. She wouldn’t beg. She wasn’t that desperate. Besides, she could tell from his body language and walled-off expression, he wouldn’t change his mind. But she still had to make sure he wasn’t having second thoughts about them. “But you will talk to him… soon, right?”

  He gave her a curt nod and then she had his back as he turned and made his way to the door. He opened it, but paused, looking over his shoulder at her before stepping through and shutting it firmly behind him.

  Although he was gone, Gabby’s heart felt light, for if a single look could make a million promises, that one made them all.

  Sitting in her usual top row seat of the lecture hall, Gabby typed in her last answer and hit the send button. Quite frankly, she was looking forward to the month-long break. She hoped having more free time would make it easier for her and Marco to connect.

  She’d only heard from him once in the four days since she’d last seen him, and that had been on Monday night, two days prior. It had been late, past eleven when he had called. It hadn’t been a long conversation, only enough to let her know he was busy working on a lead with Johnny, and that he hadn’t had a chance to talk with Nico yet.

  While she understood what he was doing took priority, and why he was doing it was more personal than not, she still tried to impart how important it was for them to get together. She didn’t want their relationship to start on the wrong foot only seeing each other days—or worse, weeks—apart at a time. He’d given her rushed assurances that once the Russian situation was taken care of things would settle down.

  Deep down Gabby knew she was acting like a spoiled child, making unrealistic demands on a man who had many responsibilities, not the least of which was protecting her brother. But after waiting so long for her chance with Marco, was it so unreasonable to be greedy where his time was concerned?

  Bending over in her seat to slip her laptop into her bag, she felt a body fill the seat beside hers. She raised her head, craning her neck, and saw a guy covered in a dark sweatshirt, the hood pulled down low, shadowing his face.

  She quickly sat up and was about to stand when the guy swiped down his hood.

  Surprise stilled her actions. “Derek?” she whispered yelled.

  He held up a hand, forestalling any protest. “Please, I’m not here to hurt you. Just let me speak. No one knows I’m here.”

  “That won’t last long. Did you forget I have a bodyguard?” Gabby glanced around the room to see if they’d drawn any attention. A few pairs of eyes were aimed their way, but unlike her, no one seemed surprised or concerned that Derek was sitting beside her.

  Derek shook his head. “I didn’t forget. It’s why I had someone let me in the side door, to avoid him. I wanted to explain my part in what happened to you.”

  Gabby didn’t care for explanations. He may have saved her from Peter, but she sure as hell wasn’t thanking him for his efforts. “I don’t care what you have to say.”

  She made another move to get up, but he grabbed her arm and leaned in close to whisper, “Please, just hear me out then I promise you can go, and I’ll never bother you again.”

  She tried to tug her arm, but he had a tight grip on the sleeve of her sweater. It slid down her shoulder, but Derek didn’t relent.

  “Let me go,” she said through clenched teeth. She glanced around the room again, but no one was watching and other than wrenching her sweater off and causing a big scene, she was stuck.

  “Three minutes. That’s all I’m asking for. Please.”

  Not liking it, but knowing she didn’t want to risk people getting hurt if he were armed, she gave in. “Fine. You’ve got three minutes. Then you’ll unhand me or, roomful of people or not, I’m screaming bloody murder.”

  He quickly nodded then not wasting any time, starting speaking. “My father is a very cruel man. Growing up…” He paused and shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is, even without my help, they would’ve taken you.”

  Gabby didn’t believe that. “No. I trusted you. I would have never gone off with someone else.”

  “Then trust me when I tell you, they would’ve found a way.”

  He paused a second, seeming to collect his thoughts. He quickly scanned the room before his eyes landed back on hers. “I didn’t know what they’d planned at first, you know, when I first got to know you. Those first few times I asked you out, it was just me doing the asking. I thought you were pretty, and I really liked you.”

  He paused again. She was about to remind him, he was wasting his minutes, but he continued before she could say anything.

  “When my father approached me, I tried to talk him out of it, but there was no reasoning with him.” Then almost as an afterthought, he looked off to the side and added, “There never is.” She got his eyes back. “He would go through with it whether I was a part of it or not. And I thought if I was involved, I’d be there to protect you.”

  “Protect me? Is that what you’re calling it now?”

  He had the grace to look sheepish. “I tried as much as I could. And I stopped Peter from—”

  Gabby violently shook her head. “Stop.”

  Derek sighed. “What I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry about what happened to you, and I’m especially sorry for my part in it. But I am glad I was able to help you in some small way.”

  He sounded sincere, damn it. But even though he had saved her from an even worse fate, she still couldn’t bring herself to forgive him. But she could pay him back in some small way.

  She sighed. “Listen, I accept your apology though I can’t forgive you for your part in all of it. But because you did, in a roundabout way, help me, I’ll give you some advice. Run. Run as far as you can because my brother and his men are looking for you, and you don’t want them to catch you. You have your whole life ahead of you, get out while you still can.”

  “You of all people should know how impossible that is. I was born to this life—just like you.”

  She nodded because she did understand even if she didn’t agree. God gave people free will so they could make choices. Good or bad was up to them.

  “Your time’s up.” Gabby gave a small tug of her arm to remind him he still held her.

  “One last thing. I think my father’s planning something else. I don’t know what. I came in on the tail end of a conversation, and he stopped talking when he saw me. I d
o know I heard your name, though.”

  Gabby waited a second, expecting more. His dad planning something wasn’t anything new, but she would mention it to Marco when she talked to him. Gabby tipped her head in acknowledgment. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out. And you should do the same. Goodbye, Derek.” She glared pointedly at her arm and he let her go.

  She stood quickly, grabbed her stuff, and made tracks getting the hell out of there.

  Hot water cascaded over her head as Gabby rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair. She reached back and shut off the shower. That was when she heard the pounding that sounded like it came from her front door. Sliding the glass door open, she stepped out and grabbed a towel just as she heard a loud boom followed by the splintering of wood.

  What the heck? Wrapping the towel around herself, she quickly—or as quickly as she could with wet feet on a tile floor—made her way to the bathroom door, throwing it open.

  That’s when she heard her name bellowed. She rushed from her bedroom, stopping dead in her tracks when she encountered six-foot-two-inches of very angry male standing in her living room.

  Marco.

  He was breathing heavily, and a lock of his usually perfect hair had fallen over his forehead. A coating of red dusted his cheeks, and his eyes were blazing. His hands were clenched at his sides, and one foot was in front of the other as if he, too, had stopped mid-stride as soon as he saw her.

  She glanced behind him at her busted front door, the wood splintered along the jamb, and with wide eyes, jerked her gaze back to his, stupidly saying the first thing that popped into her head. “You really need to stop kicking in my door.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Sir.”

  Marco turned his gaze from the window to see Ricky stepping through the office door, his eyes on Nico.

  Nico waved him farther in. “What is it?” he asked when he stopped in front of his desk.

  “There’s been an incident with Gabby.”

  That got Marco’s full attention. “Is she okay?”

  Ricky’s eyes flicked to him, and he got a curt nod before he looked back at Nico. “She’s safe at home.”

  Nico remained silent, eyeballing Ricky while waiting for him to continue.

  Ricky cleared his throat. “During class, she was approached by Dmitri.”

  “What the fuck? How did he get past you?” Marco snapped.

  Ricky’s eyes flicked to his again before landing back on Nico. Nico didn’t even blink at Marco’s outburst.

  “A side door.” He flicked another quick look at Marco. “I didn’t know it was there.”

  Marco fired off another question. “What did he want?”

  “She said he detained her a few minutes, wanting to apologize.”

  “And?” Marco asked impatiently when Ricky paused. It was Nico who flashed him a look that time.

  “And,” Ricky rushed on, “wanted to warn her. Said Volkov was planning something.”

  “Planning what?” Nico interrupted that time.

  “He didn’t know, sir.”

  “Where’s Dmitri now?” Marco couldn’t wait to get his hands on the fucker.

  Ricky turned nervous eyes Marco’s way. “I don’t know. He was gone by the time I reached the classroom. I didn’t want to leave Gabby and chase after him in case it was a trap and Volkov’s men were lurking about.”

  Nico nodded. “You did the right thing. Did she mention anything else?”

  Ricky shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  Ricky and Nico moved on to some other shit and Marco tuned out their conversation, his thoughts turning to Gabriella and how close she’d come to being taken again. He was pissed she hadn’t called him immediately after it had happened. Something they’d be having words about.

  Marco was drawn back to the moment when he heard the door click shut. Nico’s eyes were on him. He indicated the chair across from his desk. “Have a seat, Marco. I don’t think I want you looming over me for this conversation.”

  Marco stiffened. He knew he’d made a tactical error by overreacting to Ricky’s news, and also knew Nico wasn’t stupid nor blind. In the ten years he’d been by Nico’s side, Marco knew his friend well, but for the life of him, he had no idea what kind of reaction to expect from Nico when he learned of his feelings for Gabriella.

  Marco wasn’t a coward—not by any stretch of the imagination—but he couldn’t say he was looking forward to their discussion and maybe disappointing a man—who though only five years his senior—he looked up to. A man who, so many years ago, had taken one look at a punk kid and turned his life around. A man who gave him a home and a family. A man he respected and would give his life for.

  And a man whose sister he coveted.

  Marco sat, and Nico raised a brow in question.

  He was a man of few words and didn’t stray from his true nature, keeping his response concise. “I want Gabriella.”

  Nico sat back in his chair, crossing an ankle over a knee, never taking his eyes off him.

  Time seemed to stretch as Marco sat, watching Nico, his face expressionless but his eyes boring into him. He felt uncomfortable under such scrutiny, but he didn’t show it, keeping himself still, and his face equally impassive.

  When Nico finally spoke, what he said shocked the shit out of him. “You love her.”

  Marco’s already stiff spine grew ramrod.

  Nico chuckled. “You think I didn’t notice the last few years anytime Gabby entered a room you couldn’t keep your eyes off her?”

  Marco clenched his jaw in frustration. He hadn’t realized he’d given himself away.

  Uncannily reading his thoughts, Nico sat forward, placing his arms on his desk. “You’re like a brother to me—closer than a brother. I know you better than anyone, and even as closed off as you are, I can still read you like a book.”

  Marco wished he could say the same about Nico at that moment. He also wished Nico would get straight to the point like Marco had. “So, are you okay with me pursuing a relationship with Gabriella?”

  “While it’s true the last thing I wanted was for Gabby to get mixed up in this life any more than she already was, I respect you as a person—hell, just you seeking my approval says a lot for your character. You don’t need it to see Gabby, but I understand where you’re coming from, how if I didn’t approve, it would cause tension between us—and that could get one of us killed. So, I do appreciate the thought process behind it.”

  “So, is that a yes?” Marco all but growled, cursing the long-winded bastard.

  Nico chuckled. “Sì, amico mio.”

  Marco stood. “Then I’m off to make sure she’s really all right. Call me if you need me.”

  Nico tipped his head in confirmation, and Marco made his way across the room. He had his hand on the knob when he heard Nico say, “But, Marco.”

  Marco looked over his shoulder.

  “You hurt her, and I’ll kill you.”

  “If I hurt her, I have a feeling Gabriella will do the honors.”

  Marco opened the door and closed it behind him, cutting off Nico’s laughter.

  Marco pounded on Gabriella’s door for the second time, and still, there was no answer. Fear tickling his spine, he pulled out his phone and called her. It went to voicemail. He dialed Leo next, knowing he must be close because Marco had spied his car when arriving.

  “Yo.”

  Marco didn’t stop for pleasantries. “Is Gabriella with you?”

  “No. She’s home. Ricky dropped her off about an hour ago.”

  “She’s not answering her door. She didn’t leave? Go to the main house?”

  “That’s where I’m at now. She’s not here. I’ll call the gate and make sure she didn’t leave.”

  “Her car is here.”

  “I’ll call you back.”

  The line disconnected, and Marco shoved his phone back in his pocket with more force than was necessary as his frustration got the better of him.

  Fuck it
.

  He took a step back, and with a hard kick to the left of the doorknob, slammed his foot against the wood. The door flew open, pissing him off even more that she hadn’t locked the deadbolt. He yelled her name as he walked in and stopped in his tracks at the sight before him.

  Gabriella, wrapped in a towel, her hand fisting the material at her breast, dripping wet as she rushed into the room.

  Entranced by the vision, it took his brain a few stunned seconds to realize she was alive and well.

  He expected to feel relief, but for some strange reason that he couldn’t name, seeing she was okay only fueled his anger.

  Eyes wide, she looked over his shoulder before looking back at him. “You really need to stop kicking in my door.”

  “Then answer it.”

  Her mouth opened, but before she could say anything, his phone rang.

  He reached into his pocket and brought the phone to his ear, not once taking his eyes off her. “Yeah?”

  Leo’s gruff voice came over the line. “Dino’s at the gate. He said he hasn’t seen Gabby. I traced her phone, and it’s saying she’s home, or, at least, her phone is. Do you want me to call Nico?”

  “No, it’s fine. She was in…” his eyes traveled down the length of her, “the shower.” He clenched his jaw as his eye twitched. “I’ll have her check in later.” He clicked off the phone without waiting for a response, took a couple of steps to the couch, and tossed his phone on the coffee table before taking a seat.

  His eyes locked on Gabriella still standing in the same spot. “Go put on some clothes.”

  Her shoulders stiffened. “Can I ask why you’re so angry?”

  “We’ll discuss it after you get dressed.”

  “I’d like to talk about it now.”

  The stubborn set to her jaw almost took the edge off his anger. Almost. “Streghetta, if you don’t get dressed, there won’t be any talking.”

  If possible, her eyes widened farther than when she’d spied her ruined door. “I’ll, um, just go get changed then.”