Chapter Twelve
Melissa
I am so sex drunk the next morning that when I wake, I don’t immediately dash to the bathroom to brush my teeth the way I always did. I have a few phobias about what I look and smell like first thing after waking, but not this morning.
No, this time I just lie quietly beside Roman and listen to his even breathing as I let the euphoric afterglow of the night’s events wash over me like a cool rainstorm in the desert.
I feel whole again, as if just the physical union and the shared pleasure have put back the puzzle pieces that have been missing all these weeks.
Lon was right after all. I only ended things with Roman because I’m afraid and a coward and too broken still to deal with the fear that will come along with being his. I know that he’ll go off to work and leave me, and all I’ll do till he comes back is worry and wonder if today’s the day I’ll lose the man I love because he’s reckless and fearless and too driven to see the dangers around him.
“You okay, baby girl?” he mumbles sleepily, looking down at me with sated, lazy eyes.
“Yeah. I’m good,” I lie, giving him a weak smile I know isn’t half as convincing as it needs it to be.
Roman sees it and he rears up over me, stroking my cheek softly as he gazes down at me with steady eyes.
“I should have given you more time. I fucked this all up again, didn’t I?”
“What? No! You were perfect, babe, I swear. I just…I’m just feeling a little sad today is all. It’s part of the whole pregnancy. Sometimes I wake up feeling great, and then other days…”
“You miss the chief,” he guesses.
“I do miss Daddy today, but I guess that goes with the territory since it’s—”
“His birthday. Yeah I know, baby girl.” He sighs, leaning down to kiss me tenderly. “You want to play hooky with me today and do something special for your old man?”
I have no idea how to respond to that since I had every intention of locking myself up inside the cottage and just lying on the sofa like a dead lump of grief.
Roman shrugs and I see the pain I feel at the memory of Daddy’s last birthday reflected in his eyes.
“We could go down to the old pond at Farmer’s and fish the day away like he used to do? He took me with him once. It was good. We could just be lazy and quiet all day, baby girl, and remember someone we both loved and lost.”
Just like that I feel some of my melancholy fade and the joy I felt earlier return.
“Sure. You get the poles and I’ll pack a basket?”
Roman smiles softly and I get another soft kiss before he’s up and walking naked to the bathroom.
“Come on, the day ain’t waiting on us and I want to get there before the sun’s out. Don’t forget your hat and sunscreen.”
How do I not love the damn man?
I get up because I have to and go to the guest bath to shower while I plan the food with an eye for what he likes and what I can stomach myself. I won’t think of another negative thing right now.
Today is for Daddy.
***
Roman
She’s overthinking things again, I can feel it as I bump the truck over the little dirt road and start winding my way down to the track that leads to the pond and some of the best fishing water in the area.
Today is about more than trying to win her back. It’s about keeping her distracted and out of the doldrums while also thinking of my next move and whether or not I can really go into retirement when all it makes me feel is miserable and unsettled.
I see Miah’s SUV already parked to the side with him and Jace leaning back and waiting on us. I would never bring my woman out here without at least an hour’s worth of recon to ensure there aren’t any undesirables lurking around. I also still have Lynn to consider, and seeing as my dear old pain in the ass aunt is nuttier than trail mix, I’m not taking any chances.
So I decided to call my brothers and drag them out for the day, no matter how much Miah hates fishing and Jace complained he was missing a good opportunity to knock up his wife.
Once I told them that it’s the chief’s birthday and let on that Mel was feeling a bit down, they were ready to roll. I think they may actually like her more than me at this point.
“Is that Miah and Jace?” she asks, sitting forward with a frown.
“Yea. They’re coming with us.”
That makes her turn to me in confusion and I hold up a hand to quiet her as I park and put the truck in neutral.
“They’re here because I don’t want you unprotected while this op is still unresolved.”
That makes her tense and I curse myself for scaring her when all I want is for her to have one day of happiness where we don’t talk about anything heavy or serious.
“Why? You’re here,” she says softly and I feel my chest expend with pride at the idea that she trusts me so completely with her safety and well-being.
I like that, but I’d be lying if it didn’t terrify me to know that she has that much faith in me.
“I appreciate the confidence, baby girl, but when it comes to your safety and little man’s, I’m willing to take a hit to my pride and ask my brothers for help. Now come on, woman, we’re wasting daylight.”
“Huh.”
“Huh what?”
She shrugs and I see her lips twitch before she starts laughing into her hands, her eyes twinkling up at me like two deep pools of endless gold.
“Roman, babe, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but I think I prefer your friend persona more than your boyfriend one. Remember that time we were trying to break into the station archives and I asked if we shouldn’t have brought backup?”
“Yeah,” I grumble, hating that I know where she’s going with this.
“You told me that if you couldn’t protect me from a few bad cops, we were doomed to fail anyway.”
I did say that but give me a break. Our relationship was shiny new and I took the unintended slur on my manhood personally. At that stage, I was still cocky and thoughtless and I thought I had nothing to lose.
I know better now.
“I was an asshole.”
That gets another laugh and she winks at me with a grin.
“See? Friends is definitely better. You’re not so hard.”
“Baby girl, I’ve been hard as a fucking brick since that day I laid eyes on you.”
“Oh shut up and behave yourself, Lane. Now come on, the daylight’s wasting.”
***
The day was so nice that I hated having to pack up when the sun started sinking and Miah pointed out that Mel was starting to flag where I had her sitting on a blanket in the shade while I pretended to fish and Miah kept cursing with every hour that passed without a single bite.
I hated taking her home to her cottage and kissing her good-bye while my brothers watched from the windows like a bunch of little old ladies, and I actually heard Ma squealing from all the way over there.
More than anything, I hated walking away when all I really wanted to do was throw her over my shoulder and bring her to my bed where I want her. She’s slept here, in this very spot where my head now rests, and yet I’ve never seen her here.
I’m still cursing my own stupidity an hour later when I hear my door crash open and a little ball of trembling terror lands right on top of me with a cry.
I recognize her scent immediately and I spring into action as fear and adrenaline start pumping through my veins so hard, I have to shake my head to dispel some dizziness.
“Baby girl?”
“There…was…” She’s breathing heavily and I hear her teeth chatter even over the sound of my door hitting the wall as Miah comes running in in a pair of shorts and his bare chest.
“What the fuck is going on? Mellie? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” he demands.
Mel is still trembling, but I manage to hit the light and keep her steady so I can get a good look at her. She’s pale and her eyes look wild and glassy with fear,
ramping up the surge of energy trying to crawl out of my skin.
“There was someone in the cottage. I heard the door click open and I saw…” She starts shaking harder and it takes a lot for me not to go on a rampage before I settle her and go find whoever scared her near to death.
“Breathe, baby, just breathe and take it easy. You’re safe here with me. I would never let—”
“I hid in the crawl space beside the dresser and I saw…he had a freaking rope and a syringe. I think he was going to try and drug me,” she snarls and I see my Mel’s eyes flash with violent anger.
“Baby—”
“Nuh-uh, Lane, do not try and tell me to calm down. The only reason I made it out of there is because I shimmied down the stairs on my hands and knees while he was looking under the damn bed. Thank you, Jesus, Jared showed me the hidden panel leading to the tunnel, because there was another person outside, waiting to get me,” she hisses, punching my pillow before breaking out in tears.
“I should have gone for the gun and shot both their asses!”
I’m not even listening at this point as I look up and meet Miah’s eyes with a hard glare of my own. All I can think is that my girl was all alone in the cottage, a place that should have been safe and yet wasn’t, while some fuck snuck onto our land and tried to kill her.
“Get Jared and go take a look. I’ll stay here with Mel.”
My words earn me a strange look from them both and yet I don’t give a shit right now. She’s scared and upset and she needs me. I swore when I was lying in that hospital bed that I would always give my girl what she needs.
I’m not breaking this vow. Not again.
Miah nods once and storms out and I feel almost sorry for whoever was stalking Mel. If they’re not gone yet, Miah won’t let them survive the night.
One thing about my brother is his undying loyalty to family and I can damn guarantee that if he gets pissed off enough to threaten me with bodily harm if I ever hurt Mel again, he’s raging mad at whatever animal intended to lay hands on his little sister.
“Jared! Get your ass up, bro. Someone went into the cottage and tried to grab Mel.”
He’s yelling loud enough to wake the dead, and I hear Jared curse before they start pounding down the stairs and I hear door bang open.
Stealth would be wasted now anyway since they likely already know that she escaped them, and I highly doubt either Miah or Jared are capable of it with the way they’re feeling anyway.
“Roman?”
I snap back to attention and pull her closer with a curse.
“It’s okay. I got you.”
Mel pushes away and shakes her head once before I see a lone tear track down her cheek.
“You were right and I should have listened to you. You said this wouldn’t be over if you left that last man standing, and now…you need to find them all, Roman. You need to find them and end this before our baby gets here.”
She’s so scared she’s willing to tell me to go on even though I know she’s terrified of what will happen if I go after the last few stragglers. I hate that.
Mel should be strong and sarcastic and insulting at times like these. Hell, she told her own father to suck it up and use a tampon when he got anxious about stuff, and she’s threatened to shoot anyone who so much as looks at her funny.
This Mel who cries and looks defeated is not my girl, and I swear to God I will kill whoever broke her. And then I will build her snarky ass back up, even if it means listening to insults for the rest of my life.
“I’ll get them all, baby girl. I promise. Now hush up and let me hold you. I almost lost a century, you scared me so bad.”
She snuggles closer and I hold her until I feel her stiffen and cling closer to me.
“Roman?”
“Yeah, darling?”
She sighs and pulls away to get beneath the covers, then points to the door.
“Go get them.”
Chapter Thirteen
Melissa
My nerves are freaking raw. Roman, even after I gave him the go-ahead, did not want to leave me alone. I had to come on over to Mama and Pop’s rooms while he rushed out of the house like a fire was lit under his fine ass.
I am so mad and disgusted with it all that I can feel my organs trembling. Some animal coming after me, I can take, and I can even understand them wanting to hurt me to make Roman suffer for tearing down the Patriots organisation.
What I refuse to accept easily is the fact that they know I’m pregnant—God, half the state has congratulated me by now—and yet they still planned to pump me full of chemicals that could’ve hurt my kid.
For that reason, I’ve decided to just say screw it all and let Roman go on the warpath.
“Oh, honey! I just can’t believe…again! George, you need to do something about this baby. I can’t have these monsters just waltzing onto the estate where my babies are supposed to be safe.”
I cringe and give George a commiserating look, but he just winks and nods at his wife, crooning softly as she flings herself at him and renews her quiet sobbing.
“I will, my darlin’. I’ll get another team in here and the boys and I will personally find the point of entry. I swear it. Now hush up and stop crying, baby. You’re making me want to start hitting shit and my blood pressure’s rising.”
Mama chuckles with a sob and I see her snuggle closer.
“You say that every time, honey. At least wait till we’re alone again before you start flirting.”
Oh Jesus.
“Erm, I think I’m going to go downstairs and make some tea. I can get it all by myself. You both just stay here and…er, do what you…I’ll be back later.”
I leave to the sounds of their laughter and meet up with Wyatt and Ellie just as I hit the stairs.
“You okay, honey?”
“Sure. Just mad. Anyone want tea while we wait for Rambo One, Two, and Three to come back?”
Wyatt declines and leaves us in the kitchen to take up station at the door, and I go through the motions of making tea. I sit and wait as an hour passes.
Then the minutes start feeling like more hours.
By the time they all return, I’m about ready to jump on Roman with a few curses, but all he does is kiss me and push me down into a chair while Ellie serves them all coffee.
“We found one bootprint. That’s it. Even Miah’s cameras didn’t track their movements, so I’m thinking that whoever this is, it was the guy I was looking for. He’s military, I can guarantee that, and he and his friend were gone too fast and silently to be anything less than elite.”
The others agree and they start talking in a way that screams military code and a language that none of us women seem to understand, save for Tracy who looks about as happy as a death notice.
“Wait, I don’t get this, but I think I just got a part of what you were saying. That break they came in through on the perimeter is a well-guarded family secret? Are we talking about the spot…”
“Yes. The exact place I took you through the hedges, Mel.”
“But how did they know it was there? I would never have noticed it until Tracy showed me. Even then, that was from the inside. The outer hedge looks completely solid.”
“Exactly,” Miah mutters and I get the feeling they’re trying to keep something pertinent to themselves until all us little women go back to bed.
Which reminds me.
Where the hell am I going to sleep?
“Breathe. Just breathe and stop thinking about whatever it is you’re thinking,” I hear, and I refocus my gaze to see Roman crouching down in front of me, his blue eyes creased with concern.
My breaths are coming out all choppy and uneven, and I feel lightheaded and deflated all of a sudden.
“It’s just the adrenaline leaving your body. It’s okay. Breathe and don’t start thinking about that shit again. You’re staying here in the house and I’ll make sure Ma knows that we’re not headed for the chapel.”
The others are a
ll trying to leave quietly when I finally take a good long look at Roman and feel myself accept things as they are.
“We’re friends?”
He sighs and smirks before pulling me up and starting for the stairs.
“Yeah we are, baby girl. If that’s all you have to give me right now, I can take it gladly and be happy with it. We both have a lot of thinking to do about where we want to be and where we’re headed, but I will always be yours. No matter what you decide or where we both are, I will always be yours. I will never be anyone else’s. Okay?”
We’re at his room by the time I stop biting my lip and nod, letting him know that I heard him.
“Okay.”
I’m sliding between the sheets and sighing when I see him strip down to his briefs and grab a pillow and blanket from the closet. The man has one tight butt.
“You’re not sleeping in the bed?”
“Not if you don’t want me to. You’ve had enough shit tonight. I do not need you being anxious about anything else right now. I can crash on the sofa till you’re feeling up to having me there with you.”
Oh God. Why does he have to be so darn sweet when I’m so freaking gruff and ornery and just plain mean at times.
“Come on, Lane, you can hold me till I fall asleep and go jerk off in the bathroom later.” I laugh, making him chuckle and dive for the bed with a roar of outrage.
“You think I do that shit anymore? That’s just plain insulting, woman,” he says, pulling me onto his chest and stroking my back gently.
“I’m not insulting you, Lane. All men do that stuff.”
“I haven’t touched my dick since the day I got inside you, and I won’t either. Unless that’s part of our foreplay. He’s yours, and if he wants a party, he’ll have to wait for a freaking invite.”
Just thinking about watching him that way has my sex shuddering in arousal, and I haven’t even thought of the fact that I’m sprawled over his chest with his very obvious erection pushing against his briefs.
I bite my lip when my hand inches down towards his briefs, pushing the fabric out of the way and feeling his thickness. I curl my fingers around his girth and stroke him.
ROMAN (Lane Brothers Book 5) Page 11