“At this very second you have about three minutes to say what you need to say,” I snap quietly into his ear.
“The only thing I have to say is you are mine, and this baby is mine. There is no one and will never be anyone for me ever again,” he states simply.
“Andre, don’t say things you don’t mean in the heat of the moment,” I murmur low, fighting to keep the wall around my heart in place.
“I do not ever say things I don’t mean. You are mine, and I will not let you go,” he growls before slamming his mouth down on mine.
Just as the kiss gets carried away, a knock on the door brings it to a halt. Andre drops his forehead to my chest, grumbling about assholes who don’t know how to leave him the fuck alone.
“Andre, this can’t fucking wait,” Vito calls from the other side.
I move to get up, but Andre holds me in place. “Stay here. Whatever he has to say can’t take too long.”
I nod, standing only to sit on his leg facing the door. Andre calls for Vito to enter. He comes into the room, smirking at where I’m currently sitting.
“Fucking took you long enough,” he says. “Welcome to the family officially, Tinsley.”
“Thank you, Vito.” I smile at him, blushing under his scrutiny.
“What you got for me, Vito?” Andre questions as he starts running his hand up and down the inside of my thigh, getting closer and closer to my pussy.
“I wanted to let you know that the security system picked up movement in the secret passages around your room when Tinsley was asleep up there,” Vito says, turning an iPad around for him to see a video.
I gasp because this means I did actually see someone watching me while I was sleeping. Before I know it, my stomach turns, and the need to vomit burns up my throat. I stand bolting for the trashcan on the side of Andre’s desk. Whatever was left in my stomach from today is now being rejected. Andre comes over, pulling my hair back, so I don’t get vomit in it. Once finished, I sit back on my ass, leaning into Andre as I try to catch my breath. Vito brings me a glass of cool water.
“Thank you,” I state before sipping it slowly.
“Tesoro, are you okay? Do we need to get Nurse Tina?” Andre's voice is full of concern.
“I think I’m okay.” I lay my head back on his shoulder, closing my eyes. “Earlier when I woke up before coming to find you, I swore there was someone standing over me watching me as Islept. They didn’t say anything and took off when I spoke, so I thought I was imagining it.”
“Search every inch of this place. I want the house on lockdown,” Andre commands Vito while holding me close.
“Do you think locking the house down with everyone in is the smart thing to do?” Vito questions Andre.
Andre goes stiff behind me. “There is nowhere safer than the house.” His tone is confident and unforgiving.
“If that were true, how did someone get inside and into the private hallways without us knowing it until they made a mistake by not making sure the secret door didn’t close all the way when they ran?” I ask, not trying to question Andre but just trying to reassure myself that we’re safe.
“Fuck,” Andre hisses, shaking and then mumbling to himself. “This is the safest place to be. Nothing bad can happen if everyone is here.”
I look to Vito for help. He just stands there watching as Andre spirals. Tired of waiting, I do the thing I’m good at.
“Vito, before we put the house on lockdown, do a top-to-bottom search and be sure there is no one here who shouldn’t be. Then place it on lockdown,” I instruct the man.
Vito gives me a grim smile. “Looks like cousin truly did choose well.”
After he drops the bomb, he turns and walks out of the room to do exactly what I told him to do. Turning back to Andre, I cup his cheeks and speak slowly and reassuringly to him.
“Where is the panic room?” I ask him.
That question seems to be what he needed to snap back from the lost place he’d gone into. He stands, taking my hand anddragging me to a panel in the wall that pops open, and we step into the room, Andre closing it firmly behind us. Once the door is locked, he lets out a long breath, and relaxes.
“I’m sorry, Tinsley,” he whispers, slamming his hand on the door he is leaning on.
“What happened back there, Andre?” I rub a hand up his back.
“My mother and father died coming home from a New Year’s Eve party in Atlanta. No one knew what happened, only that they left to come home and then they were dead. I was barely twenty and truly not ready to take over. That’s when Grandpa came to stay here from Atlanta. On his way, he was nearly killed as well. That was when my slight agoraphobia started. Thankfully, most family heads are more than happy not to have a face-to-face these days. Making it easy to keep people from knowing.” Andre turns to me, pulling me tight.
