“Mom, calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down. Tell me the truth. Does this have something to do with Javi?”
Nico sighed, glancing first at Sebastian before his gaze rested on me. “Fine. Sit down. Let me tell you what happened.”
I sat where I was, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. I hadn’t even met his parents yet, and now I was sitting here listening to what sounded like the beginning of an argument. Sebastian caught my eye, and I could see he also wanted to be anywhere else but in this room.
Nico went over everything that happened the night before. The shooting, the body, everything.
“Maddy’s fine, though,” Nico said, nodding toward the living room where I was sitting on the couch.
Nico’s mother stood and hurried to my side, taking my hand in hers. “Are you okay, sweetie? Can we do anything for you? I can’t imagine how awful this must be for you.”
I was a little surprised by her reaction, but also happy. I’d been a little worried Nico’s parents would hate the woman who had upended their son’s life and put him in danger. I nodded. “I’m doing okay. Thank you. Nico’s been great.”
“That sounds like my boy. My name is Julia, this is Carlos. Do your parents live in town?”
“No, they…well, they live pretty far away. I moved here years ago to start my business. I got a good deal on an old bar. Plus, I always wanted to live in Florida. It always seemed sort of like California but less pretentious.”
Julia laughed. “That’s a good description.” She patted my thigh. “That’s fine. Since your parents aren’t here, you can call me Mama Julia. All of Nico’s friends do.”
“We do?” Sebastian asked, frowning deeply.
“Shut up, Sebastian,” Julia said over her shoulder. She got up and headed toward the kitchen. “I’m going to go ahead and make lunch.”
Nico and I had had breakfast less than an hour ago, but my watch said it was past noon. We’d slept much later than I’d expected. No one protested, and within minutes, I could hear pots and pans being banged around in the kitchen.
I hadn’t realized what an eventlunchwould turn into. Apparently the reason no one objected to having such an early lunch was because Julia was preparing a massive feast of six or seven dishes.She sent Carlos to the store to buy steaks, deciding to turn lunch into a cookout. Suddenly, Nico’s house was being inundated by family and friends. It turned into a huge party. Nico introduced me to all his brothers and the friends I hadn’t met yet. It seemed like everyone was here except Luis, who was still in Tampa, researching. It was all I could do to keep the names and faces straight.
Nico stayed close to me the whole day and into the evening. The food smelled amazing as it cooked, but I didn’t have time to get hungry. I was involved in so many conversations that I could barely think about food. I also kept noticing the way Nico’s mom continued to check on us. Her eyes followed us around the house. It made me a little nervous, so I partook of the makeshift bar Felipe had set up by the back deck. I’d always felt like I could hold my own, but the shifters were all pounding drinks and kept offering me more. It wasn’t long after we ate that I realized I was the only person in the house who was getting drunk.
My bladder was screaming, so I excused myself from the picnic table and headed inside to relieve myself. I held the wall as I went, feeling more than a little tipsy and chuckling to myself as I locked the door. I groaned in relief as I peed for what felt like an hour.
After I washed my hands, I unlocked and opened the door, nearly yelping when I found Nico standing just outside. He looked at me in a way that sent rivers of heat across my body. Jesus, that look made me feel…I didn’t even know.
“Are you good?” he asked.
The alcohol took over. Loosening my tongue and erasing any inhibitions I may have had a few hours ago. “It’s not fair that you’re so hot,” I mumbled almost to myself, but he was grinning at me. I put a hand on his chest, feeling the thick hard muscle under his shirt. “You make my heart race, and this voice in my head…it’s been talking to me since I first saw you. It says you’re mine. Like, it’s screaming in my head. Even now it says…”
“What does it say?” he asked, his voice a husky whisper.
I looked into his eyes and felt the tremble of butterflies in my stomach. My head was still dizzy from the liquor. “It says it wants you.”
There was a flash in Nico’s eyes, an explosion of hunger, and he pulled me to him. My body was pressed against his, and I could feel the hardness of his cock between my legs. It made my knees weak. Nico put his lips close to mine, almost touching them. “What do you feel now?AmI yours?”
“I…” I swallowed, my mouth going dry. “I don’t know you that well, but everything tells me that you are.”
Nico pressed his lips to mine. I sighed and opened my mouth, allowing his tongue to slide into my mouth. The alcohol gave me courage and made me bolder than I typically would have been. I slipped my hand down his chest and across his belt, until it came to rest on the throbbing bulge between his legs. Nico grunted and moaned into my mouth. His hands roamed my body, making sure to be gentle near my wounds. One hand caressed my breast, squeezing hungrily.
Nico brought his other hand to my belt and undid it. I was so horny, I didn’t even give a shit that the door to the bathroomwas open. All that mattered was him and me and this moment. I wanted it, needed it. Our lips were still intertwined as he slid his hand under the waistband of my pants and panties. I sucked in a breath as his fingers slid across my throbbing clit. Jesus, it had been so long, and it felt so good. I lay my head on his shoulder and thrust my hips as his finger slipped in and out of me. My breath was a ragged, nearly panicked rasp as the orgasm built. First a warmth deep inside my pelvis, then a rising sensation, like my body was being lifted off the ground.
With one last thrust of his fingers, everything came crashing down. I shuddered, my hips jerking and spasming against him until the last of the climax faded.
I sucked in a breath and chuckled against his neck. “Holy shit,” I whispered.
Nico kissed the side of my neck and heard a throat clear. Nico and I both snapped our heads around.
Julia stood in the hallway looking at us. She looked as embarrassed as I felt. We pulled away from each other quickly. There was a mortifying moment when his hand got stuck in my pants before he could get it free. Thank God, my tits weren’t out at least. I buttoned my pants, then ran from the room as quickly as I could. I raced up the stairs and closed the door behind me. Collapsing on the bed, I finally allowed myself a chance to breathe.
