“Yeah?” I answered, standing up from the couch where Francesca and I had been watching a movie. I gestured to her that I’d just be a minute and moved into my bedroom.
“This is Rossi shit, Mad.” Cole’s tone was tense. “Gunner and Cash spotted a couple of their men scoping the area. I think they assume she’s here. We need a plan for how we’re handling this, both for the next few days and long-term.”
“Right,” I grunted. “Give me an hour. I need to talk to Francesca and get her sorted.” I was already thinking of where to take her. She wouldn’t like it but I sure as fuck wasn’t leaving her alone.
“All right,” he agreed gruffly and clicked off. I’d known Cole my entire life. He was family. Family I respected the hell out of and trusted implicitly.
I immediately fired off a text to my pop, formulating a plan.
When I walked back into the living room, Francesca was watching me warily. “Everything okay?”
I nodded, sitting down next to her and placing a hand on her thigh. When I was close to her, hell even in the same room, I wanted to touch her. I needed to. “That was Cole. I wouldn’t do this now but it’s important. I need to get to the club.” Her quiet intake of breath told me she knew what was coming next. “I can’t leave you here alone, baby. If I could, I would. But I can give you a choice. Do you want to come with me to the club? Or I can drop you off at my parents’ place. It’s just my parents and my sister there.”
Her eyes were solemn as she looked at me. “This is about my uncle, isn’t it?”
I nodded. No sense lying to her, even if I wanted to. Which I didn’t.
She bit her lower lip and seemed to consider her options. To her credit, she didn’t complain. She didn’t try to get out of it, no matter how badly I knew she didn’t want to be seen right now. She was stronger than she realized. “I’ll go to your parents’ house,” she decided finally.
I squeezed her thigh. “Thanks, beautiful. I know it’s not what you want right now, but they’ll be glad to see you.” It was a small consolation for her but still true. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
She nodded. “It’s okay, Maddox. I understand,” she assured me quietly. “Let me just freshen up a bit.”
I gently grabbed her at the waist as she moved to pass me, bringing my lips to hers. “You’re amazing, you know that?” I demanded against her mouth.
She pressed her hands to my chest, looking up at me in surprise.
“You are,” I insisted, unable to resist grabbing her delicious backside and pulling her even closer. “Fuck. If we didn’t have to go anywhere….” I grunted. Having a taste of her earlier had done nothing to quell my hunger for her. If anything, it had made it worse.
Her cheeks reddened with a sexy-as-hell blush.
I pulled away reluctantly, knowing that if I didn’t, we’d never leave. “Make sure you’re warm enough,” I called to her, swatting her ass as she walked away.
Her yelp of surprise and soft laugh had my gut clenching. Damn, this girl got to me like no other.
I knew I’d never want anyone else. She was it for me.
I just needed to be it for her too.
****
Not thirty minutes later we were barreling up the mountain road, headed for my childhood home where my parents still lived. The large lodge-style home surrounded by pine trees and wilderness had been an awesome place to grow up. Though it felt as though no one was around for miles, it was still relatively close to town, offering the best of both worlds.
Wanting to try something new, I’d chosen my apartment in town when I’d moved out on my own, but was already missing the privacy and scenery of the mountains.
“This is beautiful,” she breathed when we’d pulled up my parents’ drive and I’d cut the engine. “It smells so good. You grew up here?” She looked at me with wide eyes.
“I did. Wait till you see it in the daytime.” I smiled, reaching for her hand. I led her toward the house, knowing my mom was probably being physically held back from coming out to greet us both. I’d asked my pop to make sure she and Liv went easy. Francesca was overwhelmed enough as it was, and the timing wasn’t her choice.
We walked in the door, the muted sounds of a television on somewhere and the all too familiar smell of something burning greeting us.
I led Francesca toward the kitchen, where we found my mom pulling something unidentifiable out of the oven. “Hey, Ma,” I greeted with a chuckle.
She smiled, coming to us and wrapping her arms around me. “Hi, honey.” She turned warm eyes to Francesca, placing her hands gently on my girl’s face. “Hello, sweet girl. We’re so happy to have you.”
Francesca nodded, returning her smile a bit shyly. “Thank you.”
“Mom, what is burnin—” Liv cut off as she walked into the room, eyeing us both in surprise. “Oh hi, I didn’t hear you guys come in.” She shot Francesca a friendly smile. “I’m Olivia, this ugly mug’s younger sister.” She hooked a thumb toward me.
