He set Lily on her feet and crushed her to him. He blanked his mind of the events and emotions from a few minutes ago that would have devastated him. “Lily, my god. I thought I’d lost you when the car—“ His words choked in his throat. He couldn’t say it.
“No, baby. I’m here.” She rubbed his back with her arms wrapped around him. “Nothing happened. You saved me.” A roar erupted overhead. “Where are we, Thane? What’s going on?”
He grabbed her hand and led her through the darkness. “We’re in a tunnel I built a long time ago for this kind of situation. I can’t believe I’m using it to escape my brother. Ramoth can be such a pain in the ass.”
She pulled back on his arm. “Your brother is Ramoth?”
“Yeah, I told you about him earlier,” he said.
“Ramoth is the one who knocked my car off the road into the snow,” she breathed.
He spun around and gripped her shoulders. “What?”
“The night we spent together,” she started, “that’s why I came back to your cabin. He pushed my car and it went off the road. He said he wanted to make sure I wasn’t robbing your place.”
Fuck! Thane mushed her against him again. She’d come so close to dying. If Ramoth had an inkling of who she was, there was no doubt in his mind the bastard would’ve killed her. Now wasn’t the time to tell her. He needed to get her safe first.
“We’ll talk more later,” he told her. “Let’s get out of here.” The tunnel opened into a garage space. He opened the door to the Hummer and helped her up, then got her strapped in.
“Thane, where are we?” she asked.
“My secret getaway. Kinda like the bat cave. Just call it the Drek cave.” He grinned and pecked her on the lips. He pushed the garage door opener and slowly, the outside snowy landscape came into view.
Now the question became where could he go where his mate would be safe?
22
Lily looked around the area and knocked on the door to a small, modest home. She hoped this was the right decision. But the man did say if she ever needed any help…
Thane parked the Hummer inside a parking garage to hide their whereabouts and they hurried into Patricia’s not for food, but an address. Having clout like Thane had made getting information a lot easier. Not to mention the women drooling over him while giving him whatever he asked for. Lily wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to that. He was hers.
The door to the home opened to a surprised face.
“Miss Cruz?”
“Hi, Vinnie,” she said. He stood staring at her, mouth open. “Uh, Vinnie, can we come in?”
He snapped out of his stupor and stepped back. “Momma mia.” He slapped his hand on his forehead. “Per favore, scusami. Please, come in. Come in.” He turned away and rattled off a string of words she didn’t understand. From somewhere in the house, a female responded in the same language.
Thane whispered into her ear, “Why are we at the maître’ d’ of Patricia’s house?”
She turned to him. “How do you know who he is?”
Thane’s brow bent down. “I may not get out much, but I do go out,” he grumped. “Besides, they have the best lasagna this side of the mountain.”
A tiny woman with an apron draped over her, wiping her hands on a dishcloth, came to an abrupt stop next to Vinnie. Her large eyes took in her and Thane. He seemed a giant next to her. Her head actually tipped back to see his face.
Vinnie mumbled to her. Lily did catch the words Disney on Ice. Immediately, tears filled the woman’s eyes and she stepped toward Lily with open arms. Receiving the hug, Lily hugged the woman back, not understanding a word she said. The woman, still talking—had she taken a breath yet?—took her hand and led her into the kitchen and onto a wooden chair at a weathered table. The little lady didn’t even know her name or vice versa.
Vinnie followed them into the room, his hands flying in the air with his unknown words. His wife turned to him and threw her hands in the air almost in exact motions. Lily finally realized they were arguing in Italian. They were so cute. Thane smiled. She leaned into him.
“Do you know what they’re saying?” she asked him.
“She’s saying someone in your condition shouldn’t be standing, and he’s saying she’s not treating you with respect. Being too informal,” he informed.
“Miss Cruz, Mr. Dreki,” Vinnie said, getting her attention, “this is my wife, Carlotta.” He bowed his head slightly. “We are honored to have you in our humble home.”
Lily looked at Thane, then back to Vinnie. “You know him?” she asked.
“Sì, signorina.” Vinnie winked at Thane. “Mr. Dreki is good tipper.” Both men laughed. Of course, Lily believed that. Thane was a great guy all around.
Carlotta set a plate of hummus and celery in front of Lily along with a glass of water. It wasn’t meat, but she wasn’t complaining. She’d take any food offered.
“Mr. Dreki,” Vinnie said, “may I inquire why you are here? Can I help you in some way?”
Thane glanced at her. She gave him a nod. It was fine with her to tell Vin the truth of their situation. Thane spent the next few minutes speaking Italian. Thane even told Vin about Louis’s men bothering her. She thought Carlotta was going to pass out. The little woman plopped into a chair and waved her dishtowel in front of her face.
Vinnie pulled out a bottle of wine and three glasses. He poured each half full and handed one to Thane, one to his wife. He sat at the table with the third glass in hand.
“Mr. Dreki, Carlotta and I will do all we can to keep Miss Cruz safe. We give our lives for her.” Lily wanted to argue with that. Nobody was dying. If she put their lives in danger by being here, then she would leave. She was about to voice that when Vinnie cleared his throat.
“Mr. Dreki, I tell you this because I respect you and know you a good man. I know the Louis you speak of. He come to restaurant many times with others. He is not nice to waiters. They tell me things the men talk about: killing, stealing, bad things.”
Lily caught Thane’s concerned glance. What had Vinnie learned that he was about to reveal?
“Two days ago, several men talk in restaurant cucina about a drago.”
Lily startled. “Does that mean dragon? The men were talking about dragons?” Her heart raced. What did Louis have to do with Thane?
“Sì, signorina,” Vin said. “I not understand at the time. But a new man I never see before was at restaurant with Louis and other Danitellis.”
“Wait,” Thane said. He turned to Lily. “Louis is a Danitelli?”
“Yes,” she said. “Does that make a difference?”
Thane sighed. “It makes a huge difference.” He stood and kissed her forehead. “Stay here, baby. I’ll be back shortly.” With that he walked out the front door and down the sidewalk.
Lily sipped her water, trying to think of some way to ease the awkward silence. She remembered what Vin was telling them before Thane got up.
“Vinnie,” Lily said, “what did that new person with Louis look like?” Vinnie went on to describe Ramoth to a T. That would explain Ramoth’s presence in the area. He was plotting with her ex. But what were they after?
It had to be money. Louis wanted a quarter million from her. A knock came from the front door and the three looked at each other. Was it Thane coming back?
Vinnie stood. “I see who at door. Stay here.”
Perhaps she was becoming paranoid, but she had a bad feeling in her stomach. She heard the door open. Her shifter hearing picked up the voice, but again, they spoke a language she didn’t know.
Suddenly, Carlotta grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the chair and into the hall. The tiny woman was stronger than Lily thought possible. They dashed into a bathroom and Carlotta shoved her into a linen closet. She was about to complain when a gunshot rang in the house. Fear tore through her.
Next she knew, a hail of bullets flooded the house. The sound of window glass shattering, wood being ripped through, ceramics falling a
nd crashing to the floor. Lily covered her ears and crouched against the back wall.
What the hell was going on? Was this because of her and Thane coming to the house? Why else? Was she and her baby going to die? Her heart broke knowing Thane would never see his little girl. That would kill him as sure as any bullet.
Then the gunfire stopped, leaving her ears ringing in the silence. What now?
23
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” At the sound of that bastard’s voice, Lily held back the bile wanting to spew from her stomach. That son of a bitch destroyed Vinnie and his wife’s home just to get to her. She wished she had a weapon she could hurt him with. Toilet paper and spray cleaners weren’t going to help much.
“Where are you, bitch?” Louis said from a distance. “I know you’re in this house. The dragon followed you down the mountain. So if you come out, I’ll make sure your mate is killed quickly and not just skinned alive.”
She gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. Did Louis capture Thane? Could his pathetic men really catch a dragon? If they had Ramoth helping, it was very possible with a surprise attack. She was going to throw up. What should she do?
“All right,” Louis said somewhere in the house, “if you aren’t in my sight by the time I count to three, the little old man and his little wife will suffer. You know I can make them suffer.”
Goddammit! He had Vinnie and Carlotta.
“One.”
Maybe he’s lying. Should she believe him or not?
“Two.”
She shoved the door open and ran out of the bathroom. “I’m here, you prick. Don’t you touch Vinnie or his wife.” She walked up the hall and into the main front room. The area looked like a battle zone. Glass, paper, and debris covered the entire floor. There were places on the furniture where bullets tore through, pulling the stuffing out with their exits. Broken drywall floated in the air, making her cough.
Vinnie and Carlotta stood against the wall, one of Louis’s goons holding a gun on them. She was so relieved she decided to come out.
“Ah, there you are. The dragon was right,” her ex said. “I was beginning to doubt him for a moment.”
“What dragon?” she asked, playing stupid. “You don’t know any dragons. They wouldn’t waste time on you.” This stalling tactic would work. When she attacked his pride in the past, he went on the defensive, trying to convince her he was king.
His eyes burned with anger. Then he relaxed his shoulders and smiled. “Nice try, Lil, but I do know a dragon and I'm even working with him. No need to prove myself to you anymore.”
She asked, “Is it Ramoth? He’s such a sad prick. Lowest of the lowest.”
He was taken aback, but tried to hide it. She knew him too well. He glanced down at her belly, a hateful look on his face. “What did you do? Get some pathetic bastard to make you pregnant after all this time? Aren’t you too fucking old for this shit? Or did you get one of those artificial donors instead?”
She’d never wanted to punch someone in the face like she did at that moment. Her feline wanted to protect her dragon baby and if he gave her belly one more dirty look, she would shred his face to ribbons. “What I do is none of your business.”
He came a step closer. “It is when it involves my money.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
He barked a hateful laugh. “You’ll owe me your whole life for doing you the favor of marrying your boring, fat ass.”
“I should be the one charging you for all the crap you and your mother put me through. You’re lucky I didn’t kill her. Trust me, I wanted to.”
He came at her full speed. “Don’t fucking talk about my mother, you worthless bitch!”
He didn’t get much closer than a foot before he was grabbed from behind and tossed against a wall, leaving an imprint in the broken plaster. She watched the men who’d shown up with Louis scatter.
Thane stopped in front of her. “Are you okay? Did he touch you?”
She shook her head. “He’s just being a pussy and saying I owe him my entire life for him being married to me.”
“I’ll handle him.” Thane turned to Louis, who had picked himself up off the floor.
“Are you fucking crazy?” Louis asked. “Do you know what family I belong to? My grandfather is going to tear you apart, piece by piece.”
Thane nodded. “I know what family you belong to, but I don’t think you realize Lily isn’t alone anymore.”
“I’ll do whatever I want with her. She owes me,” Louis roared. He lifted the gun in his hand, aiming at the man she loved.
Using shifter speed, Thane tackled him, tearing the gun from his hand. He grabbed Louis by his expensive suit and slammed him against wall. Thane punched him repeatedly. Louis tried to fight back, but Thane was almost twice his size and a lot angrier.
Blood covered Louis. Then a large group of men showed up at the open front door. Someone yelled for Thane to stop and he did. She rushed to stand by his side and grabbed his hand. If he had to face trouble, he wasn’t going to do it alone.
An older man stepped forward. He glanced at Louis’s bloody face and then back and forth between Thane and Lily.
Louis started laughing then, as if the whole thing was the biggest joke in the world. “Now you’ve done it, dragon. Your days are numbered.”
The older man frowned at Louis.
“Weren’t you married to Louis?” the man asked her with an Italian accent.
Lily nodded. “Was is correct.”
“Why did you divorce?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but Louis got ahead of her. “Because she’s a―”
“Louis!” the old man snapped. “I asked her a question, not you. Quiet, nipote.”
“Louis didn’t love me and I didn’t love him. He verbally abused me and he stole every cent I had. His mother encouraged him to mistreat me, and though we only lasted six months married, it was enough to destroy my views of marriage,” she admitted to the old man. “He still says I owe him for the time he wasted married to me.”
The old man nodded and turned to Thane. “Dreki, seems you are correct.”
“Thank you, Danitelli,” Thane said, nodding at the man.
Lily blinked, realizing they knew each other. This got more and more interesting by the second.
“What more do you know of this?” the old man asked.
Thane rubbed his bloodied knuckles. “Lily’s my mate. Your grandson has been sending men to harass and try to scare her. Luckily, she’s a fighter and doesn’t scare easily, but she’s pregnant with my child, and I will kill your grandson before he lays a hand on her.”
She gulped at the cold way he mentioned killing Louis. Her baby kicked as if to say ‘go daddy!’
The old man waved a hand in the air. “That won’t be necessary. He will never go near her again,” he said and met Louis’s surprised gaze. “Or I will kill him myself. This is not how we treat our family, Louis.” He gave his men a hard look. “Get him out of my sight before I do something I regret.”
The men took Louis away. Lily noticed he didn’t even attempt to look at her or bother to say anything.
Thane held on to Lily’s hand and met the older man’s sharp gaze. “I am going to take your word he won’t be a problem again, Danitelli.”
He older man nodded. “I apologize on behalf of my family. He won’t ever attempt to contact your mate again. Of this, you can be sure.” With this, the man and his entourage walked out and got into their cars parked along the street.
Thane closed the front door as much as one hinge would allow. Lily hurried to the couple still plastered to the wall. She threw her arms around both. “I’m so sorry,” tears filled her eyes, “I didn’t mean to bring them to your beautiful home. We didn’t know they followed.”
“That would be my fault,” Thane said apologetically. “I don’t know how my brother knew where we were.”
Carlotta wiped away Lily’s tears with her apron. “Only things,�
�� she said, “life important most.” The little lady put her hand on Lily’s round stomach.
Thane wrapped her in his arms. “Agreed,” he said.
24
A couple days later at the cabin, Lily glanced up from the papers she held while relaxing on the sofa in front of the fire. A lot had happened in the last day and a half. Thane hired a real estate agent to find a new home for Vinnie and his wife. One large enough for little granddaughter Lucy and all her cousins to come and visit at the same time. Thane said he’d pay for it, no matter the cost.
He also sent out a message that Ramoth was certain to get it. If he showed his face again, or messed with her, Thane and Saxon would kill him. She felt sure Ramoth bugged out once his partners in crime were taken down but she’d stay around Thane for a while, just to make sure. She still wondered what Ramoth and her ex had planned together. She’d probably never know.
Her eyes fixed on her gorgeous man sitting in the recliner, laptop on his thighs.
“You know,” she started, “I never asked how you knew the Danitelli clan. Is that where you went when you left Vinnie’s?”
Thane looked up from his computer. “I saved the old man’s life and that of his father, twice.”
Her eyes got big. “You were around that long ago?” She bonked her hand on her forehead. “Never mind. I forgot you dragons live a few years longer than we other shifters do.” She read somewhere that pregnancy made the expecting mother say stupid things. Well, not exactly, but she’d blame the dumb question on that.
A grin lightened his face. He was so handsome when he smiled. “There’s somewhere I want to take you,” Thane said.
He stripped out of his clothes and walked toward the back door.
She tried to keep up with him, but with a huge dragon baby in her belly, it was hard to do. “Thane, what are you doing? It’s cold.”
He turned and winked at her. Damn sexy man. This was how he’d gotten her to agree to everything lately. All he did was give her one of those ‘I’m going to fuck your brains out’ looks and she turned stupid. Maybe that was the problem with her.
Vote Then Read: Volume II Page 313