“What happened?” she asked him.
He turned to look at her and was shocked to see compassion in her eyes. He explained in great detail, feeling his heavy heart lighten as he talked about the incident with someone for the very first time.
“It sounds like you were caught in a nightmare and had no idea what you were doing. Your brothers were there for you.”
“But what if they weren’t? What if I killed her? What if I hurt you?”
He held her gaze and saw the fear, the uncertainty. He stood up, and she grabbed his hand.
“Salvatore, it seems we both have a lot of fears. You’re not the only one who’s been hurt, scarred by someone.”
He stepped in front of her and held her by her hips. “Someone hurt you?” he asked. His eyebrows scrunched up, and his gut tightened.
“Very badly. So much so, I had to leave my home, and hide.” His possessiveness and protectiveness were overwhelming.
“Who is he? Tell me his name.”
She shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter. I escaped and I’m never going back there. Maybe it’s better if we just remain friends for now,” she said. He felt sick to his stomach. He was causing her to pull back from him and from his brothers. He lowered to one knee and held her to him. He pressed his face to her belly over the sweater she wore.
“Don’t be afraid of me, of us. We would never cause you harm.” She ran her fingers through his hair and tilted his head up toward her.
“I don’t know if I can trust anyone again.” He eased back up and cupped her cheeks between his hands.
“You can trust me, us. We’ll protect you, Lucia.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. When he released them, her eyes remained closed, and then her lips parted. She looked at him.
“You make me feel things. Things I don’t think I can handle because of my past.”
He wondered what that meant when he felt her pulling away. Something told him she needed reassurance just like he did.
“Nice and slow, Lucia. We’ll take our time and let things happen naturally. One day you’ll tell us what happened to you. One day you’ll realize we’re good, honest men, and that this isn’t about lust, sex, or something temporary.”
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, and she hugged him tight.
One kiss on the forehead is much sweeter than a thousand kisses on the lips. Filled with love, respect, and compassion. I’ll never be the same man again.
* * * *
They stood in the kitchen, Lucia complimenting the large table, a family heirloom of their parents.
“That is so cool. I love things like this. Family traditions handed down from one generation to the next. You’re close. It sounds like your parents really tried to keep tradition going,” she told them, and then her voice cracked.
Maxwell placed his hand on her waist as he stood behind her. She lowered her head and then turned to look at him. She faced him now, and he could see the sadness in her eyes.
Maxwell placed one hand on her hip and one on the table behind her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her.
She glanced at the others and shook her head. “Nothing. Nothing is wrong, Maxwell.”
He gave her hip a squeeze.
“Talk to us. Let us in, baby.” Her eyes widened at his statement.
“I can’t,” she whispered. He felt his gut clench.
“Does this have to do with the man that hurt you?” Salvatore asked. Maxwell felt his chest tighten. It seemed that Salvatore had gained some information on Lucia in the barn he hadn’t been able to share with them yet.
“Who hurt you?” Lucifer asked, stepping forward.
“Lucia?” Gabriele said her name and joined them by the table.
She took a deep breath and then released it. When she reached up and caressed her palm against Maxwell’s chest and played with one of the buttons on his shirt, he felt his cock harden and his body tighten with need. He wanted her. Wanted to kiss her, touch her, take the fear in her eyes away.
“It’s too difficult to talk about. I’m ashamed about it, about my family, about everything.”
“You can tell us anything, and we’ll answer any questions you have about us and our family, our pasts, anything you want to know,” Maxwell promised her.
“I can’t. I think it’s time for me to leave,” she said, looking so sad and obviously not meaning anything she was saying.
Maxwell pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him.
“No, Lucia, don’t go. Don’t be scared, baby. We’re going to be your guardians,” Maxwell stated. She pulled back.
“Guardians?” she asked, and they explained about the town, about the rules of watching over women and children and men requesting guardianship of single women, and how they were going to request to be her guardians.
She was shocked, and then she came to the wrong conclusion and panicked.
“So this is what this is really all about? All the conversations, the getting to know each of you, the sharing of secrets, was all about claiming guardianship of me like I’m some object?” She raised her voice. It cracked as she stepped farther away from them and closer to exiting the kitchen.
“No, Lucia, that is not what we’re doing here,” Maxwell told her.
“You’re not some object. We want to get to know you. We all feel the attraction,” Salvatore said next.
“It’s the way things work. We want to be your guardians and let everyone know that you’re our woman, and that we’ll protect you,” Lucifer said.
“It’s part of the process, baby, it’s not a means to make you feel like you’ve been bartered and sold,” Gabriele stated, and instantly the tears hit her eyes and Maxwell felt sick.
“Believe it or not, that’s exactly what you’ve done. It’s what my own family did to me. A possession, an object to be sold to the highest bidder to seal a family bloodline. What’s the difference between that and what you just said? Tell me?” She raised her voice as tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away with her sleeve.
“Your family tried to sell you?” Salvatore asked.
“What?” Maxwell asked, and Lucia shook her head.
“Don’t talk to me. Don’t request to be my guardians or whatever. I don’t want anything to do with you. I won’t let you take my body and use me for your own agenda or to stake some barbaric claim.”
“Lucia, what in God’s name are you talking about?” Lucifer asked her.
She started to turn to leave, and Maxwell grabbed her hand to stop her. She swung at his chest, barely capable of hurting him.
“Lucia, stop. We’re not here to hurt you.”
“You want to claim possession of me just like he did. You want to force yourselves on me, rape me, and think that makes me yours? Well, it won’t work. He couldn’t take my soul, no one can. No one,” she yelled and cried.
Maxwell lifted her up and against him and hugged her tight as she tried to resist then finally gave in to the feel of his arms. He rocked her as she sobbed against his shoulder. He locked gazes with his brothers. Salvatore with fists by his side, Lucifer with his hand over his mouth in shock, and Gabriele, arms crossed and staring in concern.
“We’d never hurt you, Lucia. Never, baby. Please let us explain. Let us in, Lucia. We want you because you’re beautiful, you’re smart and sexy, and we feel a connection to you. This kind of relationship is so special, Lucia. We never thought we would find a woman who could complete us even more and bring us all the closest we could ever be. But you can. You’re the link, the most important part in making this family complete and happy. Let us show you, baby. Let us make you forget what that dick did to you,” Maxwell told her as he caressed her back and continued to hold her.
“He can never have you, baby. We’ll protect you, sweetheart. Just let us in. Please let us in,” Lucifer told her next.
She lifted up and looked at Maxwell. His heart ached for her and the abundance of sadness on her face.
“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered as a stray tear escaped from her eyes.
“Follow your heart, Lucia. Go with what you feel inside,” Maxwell whispered as he held her gaze.
He lowered her to her feet, and she wiped her eyes again.
“Explain what being guardians means. I want to understand it, before anything else happens.”
Maxwell smiled and cupped her cheek, ran a thumb along her skin, wiping away remnants of her tears.
“Let’s make some coffee and sit and talk. You ask anything and everything you need to and we’ll talk about the future and what we hope is meant to come from this.”
She nodded her head, and Gabriele began to make a fresh pot of coffee as Lucifer grabbed the cups. Lucia went to go sit when Salvatore took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Trust us, Lucia, as I trusted you back in the barn.” She nodded and then took the seat Salvatore held out for her.
This was going to happen. They were going to work this all out and be completely open and honest with Lucia. When she finally trusted them enough and felt confident in their intentions and commitment to her, he would find out exactly who hurt her, and who the man was who raped her and brought her such pain. No one would ever get close enough to harm their woman. No one.
Chapter 7
“Maybe you should reconsider and find a better private investigator, Derek,” Margie Monte said as she sat on the fancy sofa in the living room of their mansion in South Carolina. Derek sat in the single-seater sipping a snifter of expensive brandy. Clarence Monte was smoking a cigar and looking pissed off.
“I can assure you, Margie, that my guy is the best money can buy. He’s quite surprised by your daughter’s capabilities of hiding and not slipping up anywhere. I, for one, am impressed.”
“Impressed? You should be using every resource you have to find my daughter so we can seal this deal. For all we know she could be pregnant with your child right now. Aren’t you the least bit concerned?” Margie asked.
“If she is pregnant with my child then it’s an added bonus to this contract being proven legit and agreeable by all parties. She can try to deny it all she wants, but the documents are legal and binding.”
“Not by the laws of this land, Son. You remember that. The little witch may never be found. For all we know she’s dead somewhere,” Clarence added then released a puff of smoke into the air.
“She’s not dead. I’m not giving up on finding her. This arrangement was made years ago. Lucia will comply.”
“And if you find her, force the marriage upon her, and she still fights you on it and goes to the authorities?” Margie asked.
“Then she disappears. At least the bloodline is secured and the money from both families liquidated between the three of us. She’ll have served her purpose,” Derek stated with attitude.
“You have to find her first, and before the end of the year when contracts become void and all parties cut their ties to this arrangement. My understanding is that your mother wasn’t even aware of this agreement and that your father is considering backing out now that my daughter accused you of drugging and raping her.”
“He won’t back out. He’s concerned that this information may affect his position as CEO in the firm. He’ll get over it and this will be resolved in no time. You’ll see. Lucia will be home in time for Christmas, if not by Thanksgiving,” Derek stated confidently.
* * * *
Lucia went through the next week feeling almost normal. The demolition on the rooms was complete, and she had met with the guys over lunch and of course dinner in town, when she didn’t have a fall festival meeting, to go over ideas. She felt comfortable with the men. Although, Maxwell seemed to be involved with a case at work that took up a lot of his time. He kept apologizing for missing out on spending time with her. But the truth was, she was impressed and actually aroused by his profession and the fact he was a detective.
She smirked as she looked over some sweaters on the clothing rack in Diane and Melissa’s boutique.
“That color would look great on you,” Melissa told her as Lucia held the red sweater against her chest.
“You think so? It’s so bright and stands out.”
“What’s so bad about that? You’re a beautiful woman and want to look beautiful for your men, don’t you?” Melissa asked her and winked.
“My men?” Lucia replied, feeling her heart pound and her chest tighten.
“Of course. The Walters men. I heard they requested guardianship of you with Wyatt, and they weren’t the only ones asking.”
“What?” Lucia replied, feeling a bit nervous and on edge. Despite the ways the men explained the guardianship thing, she still felt a bit fearful to be perceived as an item, a possession and object. She knew it stemmed from what Derek had done to her and what her own parents condoned, but she was still fearful.
“It’s not a big deal. It always works out for the best. The Walters men are great men, from what my husband and the others say. They’ve been quiet over the years and barely came into town to socialize, but lately I always see them,” Melissa said, as she looked over Lucia’s shoulder, smiled, and winked. “Looks like one of them just hunted you down.”
Lucia turned as the bell above the door rang. She was surprised at how happy, excited, and aroused she was to see Maxwell.
* * * *
Maxwell suddenly felt the happiness fill him the moment he caught sight of Lucia. He had seen Dale London in town and he told him he saw Lucia go into the boutique. He couldn’t stop thinking about her this week. As his brothers spent some time with her, Maxwell had a case he was working on and only saw her for a half hour or a few minutes here and there.
“Hey, baby,” he whispered and was surprised as Lucia stepped toward him and leaned into him as he lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her softly, then wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her up against his chest.
“What’s going on?” he asked. Her big brown eyes held his and she smiled.
“Melissa was talking me into buying this sweater. What do you think?” she asked as she stepped back and held the sweater in front of her.
“You look good in red. I’d say yes.”
Lucia smiled. “Okay, Melissa. Sold.”
Lucia walked up to the counter to pay, giving a smile over her shoulder at Maxwell. His heart skipped a beat. God, he had it bad.
She paid and took the bag with the sweater in it and placed it into her backpack. They said good-bye then headed outside. It was a bit chilly.
Maxwell turned her toward him, and he pulled her open jacket together and began to zip it up. “It’s cold out here. You be sure to keep warm.”
“It is chilly, but it’s sunny and beautiful out.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips.
“I missed you,” he admitted. Her cheeks reddened, and he gave her a wink before he pulled her into his arms and kept his arms wrapped around her lower back. “Did you miss me too?”
“Of course I did. How is the case you’re working on?”
“A work in progress,” he said then took her hand, and they began to slowly walk through town.
“Just when the other detectives and I think we have all the people involved in the crime, some more names pop up as well as some more crimes. It leads to more investigating and of course arrests, paperwork, and more paperwork. It can be exhausting.”
“But you’re taking the bad guys off the streets. That’s what’s important,” she told him, and he smiled.
“That’s true,” he added. He liked this. He never thought he would be in a relationship with a woman and enjoy talking to her about work and that she would understand. Lucia was truly interested in his profession and spending time with him. Crazy thing about this was that they hadn’t had sex, fooled around other than kiss here and there, yet he felt so close to her. This was different, meaningful, and he hoped permanent. He couldn’t see why it wouldn’t be. His brothers adored her as much as he did.
> “Want to grab something to eat? I think the guys are in Francine’s.”
She smiled and held his arm, giving it a hug.
“Now let me think about this. For the past week one of you meets me in town or suggests picking me up at my place so we can eat dinner together. And what do I say, every time?” she asked and smiled.
He stopped them from walking, cupped her cheek, and stared down into her eyes. “You say yes, every time. Soon, we’ll ask you to come home with us, stay for breakfast, and I expect the same answer, sweetheart.” Her eyes widened as he leaned down and kissed her lips. She hugged him tight as that kiss grew deeper until someone cleared their throat.
They pulled apart slowly, and there stood Gabriele.
“Excuse me, but should you two be making out on Main Street where everyone can see you?”
Lucia chuckled and laid her head against Maxwell’s chest.
“Hell yeah. I was just enjoying Lucia for a bit. It’s been a crazy week.”
“Come on inside, everyone is waiting,” Gabriele said as he gently ran his knuckles along Lucia’s cheek then squeezed her hand. She smiled.
“Everyone?” she asked, and Maxwell wondered, too.
“Seems Abigail, Doc, Frank, and Will are joining us as well as Dale, Virgo, Matt, Quaid, and Sage.”
“Great. We have some things to talk about with the fall festival,” Lucia said, and hurried along with them to the restaurant.
Maxwell couldn’t help but to smile despite the fact that his quality time with Lucia would be shared with so many people. He was just glad to be with her, and to know that their relationship was growing stronger. Hopefully she would trust them more so they could take this relationship to the next level.
* * * *
Lucia held the papers of the drawings she made in her hand as she pointed out the locations of the designs to Lucifer, Salvatore, and Mrs. Higgins. Mrs. Higgins was complimenting her ideas and asking for clarification when she noticed Salvatore place his hand on Lucia’s hip as he looked over her shoulder and pointed to something on the paper.
Just One Kiss: A Holiday Story [The Town of Pearl 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11