by Vi Keeland
I get out of bed, find a shirt for him, and pull another one on over my head. It’s so long that it hits me just above my knees, so I figure I’m covered enough. I walk into the living room and see Nico in the kitchen with his hip against the counter and a cup of coffee in his hand. Another guy is there with him; his back is to me, but he’s big—even a little bigger than Nico. I pause where the hardwood floors start when Nico’s head turns my way and our eyes lock. I feel nervous seeing this other guy in the kitchen, and not knowing who he is makes my hands begin to sweat and the need to run take over.
“Come here, Sophie,” Nico says, his eyes watching me closely.
I swallow hard, trying to fight my own fears, trusting Nico to take care of me. The guy in the kitchen has turned his head and is now watching me, and I tug at the bottom of Nico’s shirt I put on.
“Sophie,” Nico repeats, and I look at him and see that he has stepped away from the counter. “This is my cousin, Kenton. Remember you saw him with me when the guy was trying to break into your house?”
His cousin. This guy is part of his family. I take a breath then let it out. “Yeah, hi. Nice to meet you,” I say, smiling shyly at him as I wipe my sweaty palms off on the shirt.
His eyes look me over then go soft. “You too, doll,” he says gently.
What is with these big scary guys and their gentle souls? I wonder.
“You want some coffee, babe?” Nico asks.
My eyes go to him and I nod. “Yes, please. I’ll be right back,” I say, walking quickly back to the room; I need to put some pants on. I already feel uncomfortable being around people, and being half dressed won’t work in my favor.
When I get back to the kitchen, Nico has a cup of coffee and toast with honey waiting for me. I hand him a shirt, and he smiles, kissing my forehead before setting the shirt on the counter. Suddenly, he lifts me at my waist and sets me on the counter near the corner so that he is between me and Kenton. I’m not sure if he knows what he’s doing, but I suspect he does it on purpose, and I want to cry with relief that he gets it.
“So, what are you guys doing this weekend?” Kenton asks, looking between the two of us.
I know what I want to do—I want to go back to bed and maybe have a good look at that piercing. I feel my cheeks heat up when I think about the way I felt when he was inside me, how alive my body felt when he made me orgasm with it, and how I really wanted another couple million of them.
“Baby, stop,” Nico says, his mouth next to my ear, “I can tell exactly what you’re thinking, and you’re gonna make me be rude to my cousin, ’cause I’m about to pick your sexy little ass up, carry you to the bedroom, slam the door, and have my way with you again whether he can hear your screams or not.”
I bend my head forward, blocking my face with my hair. My face feels like it’s on fire. Apparently, I am now a super slut. “Sorry,” I whisper.
“Don’t be,” he whispers back, his hand running along my thigh as he kisses my forehead. “I think we’re just going to hang around here,” Nico says, leaning his hip against the counter between my legs and picking up his coffee cup.
“You’re not going home?
“Nah. Cash, Lilly, and the kids just got home from Alaska. Asher’s praying over November’s belly for a little boy, and Trevor is keeping Liz at home, waiting for her to go into labor.”
“Jesus, you guys are like a baby-making factory,” Kenton says, shaking his head.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Nico mumbles, and I look at him and see that he is serious. His eyes meet mine and go soft before he leans in, kissing me once again.
“Shit, you too?” Kenton asks.
Nico nods before leaning back again.
“I knew, but I mean… I didn’t know how serious you were.”
“That serious, my man,” he says, rubbing my thigh again.
I feel a nervous laugh climb up my throat; I cover my mouth, trying to hold it in, but I can’t. Kenton looks at me and smiles, and Nico shakes his head.
“What’s so funny?”
I shake my head before bursting out laughing. “Sorry.” I laugh again and cover my face.
“You gonna let us in on the joke?” Nico asks, pulling my hands away from my face, smiling at me.
“Baby factory,” I say, repeating Kenton’s words, and I can’t help but laugh again. I’m not even sure why I find it so funny.
“It’s true, doll. My cousins are tryin’ to take over the world with their offspring,” Kenton says, smiling.
“Yeah? You wanna start your shit? How are things going with you and Autumn?” Nico asks.
Kenton’s face changes completely. The smile he’s wearing slides off his face, and he growls, “Don’t start, Nico.”
“What, you don’t want me to tell you that you’re a stupid fuck?”
“Fuck you,” Kenton says, glaring at Nico.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“You know, I came over here to get a break from that drama.”
“You need to put an end to that drama, man, and just do what you both need.”
“How can I when the damn woman won’t listen to me?”
“Make her listen,” Nico says, and Kenton glares, shaking his head. I feel sorry for him for some reason; he looks like he’s really upset about whatever it is they’re talking about. “Fix your shit.”
“You think I haven’t tried?” he asks softly, looking guilty.
“No, I don’t think you have. I know you. I know that, when you want something, you make it happen. So you can sit there all day feeling sorry for yourself and talking bullshit, but I know if you wanted to, you would be at home with her right now instead of drinking my coffee and interrupting my day off with my woman.”
“Hey.” I hit him in chest.
“What? It’s true.” Nico shrugs like he wasn’t just a giant jerk.
“It’s not nice,” I tell him.
“I don’t need to be nice to anyone but you.” His eyes meet mine and go soft, and I shake my head at his logic.
“I’m gonna head out,” Kenton says, standing.
“You don’t have to go,” I tell him quickly, feeling guilty that he’s leaving because I’m here.
“It’s okay, doll. I got stuff to do anyways,” Kenton says, taking one last drink from his coffee cup and putting it on the counter near the sink.
“Well, it was nice to meet you.”
“You too.” He smiles, making my heart do a little flutter.
Nico is hotter, but Kenton has his own brand of handsome with his shaggy dark hair, tan skin, blue eyes, and scruffy jaw—a look that says if you happened to get lost in the woods with him, he would be able to build you a house with his own hands then go out and find dinner with nothing but what he could find in the forest.
“I’m sure I’ll see you around,” he says, heading to the front door.
Nico follows him, talking softly. I don’t know what he’s saying, but Kenton shakes his head before giving a chin lift as Nico closes the door behind him.
“That wasn’t very nice,” I tell him as he walks back into the kitchen.
“I told you before—I don’t need to be nice to anyone but you. Besides, he needs to get his shit straight.”
“What stuff?” I ask curiously.
“Hold that thought, baby.” He picks up his phone from the counter when it starts to ring. He looks at the screen and his eyebrows shoot together before he answers.
“Drake. What’s up, man?” he asks, his hand rubbing absently along my thigh. “Like I told your dad, there isn’t much you can do unless you can prove that shit.” He shakes his head, looking off in the distance. “Don’t do that crap; you will regret it, and it will give him the upper hand. Just do as I told you before. I got your back. Call if you need me,” he says before hanging up.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, not liking the worried look on his face.
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it.” He pulls me forward on the counter until we’re hip to hip. “
You done eating? You want more coffee?”
“I’m done,” I tell him as he pulls my legs around his hips and then my arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”
“We’re going to shower.”
“Oh,” I breathe as he nips at my neck and walks us towards the bathroom.
*
“So, you’re telling me you lost your virginity when you were twelve?” I ask in shock.
I look at Nico, who is sitting across from me on the bed, wearing nothing but a sheet. We had a shower, and then he brought me back to bed and did some crazy things to my body that had me screaming out his name before he was even inside me—once again, without a condom. When we were done and I reminded him we hadn’t used one, he informed me that it was too late and there was nothing I could do about it. I’m not quite sure why it turns me on every time he says it, but it does.
Now, it’s after ten at night. We’re sitting in bed with a giant pepperoni pizza he ordered an hour ago for delivery between us. When it arrived, he quickly pulled on a pair of sweats, told me I better not get dressed, and left the room to answer the door, only to come back and get naked again.
“I lost my virginity at twelve. I had no clue what I was doing, but that was the first time I had sex,” he says, taking a bite of pizza.
“That’s crazy.”
“I guess.” He shrugs, taking a drink of beer.
“I always wanted to do it,” I tell him, wiping my mouth. “I’ve just been too afraid.”
“Thank God you hadn’t done it before; I don’t think I could’ve handled it if I wasn’t your first. I don’t even like thinking about anyone else looking, let alone someone touching what’s mine.”
“I don’t know.” I shrug this time. “I think it would be good to have experience. I have no idea what I’m doing.”
I hear him growl, and my head flies up from where I was looking at the pizza.
“Don’t even fucking say that shit,” he says, his eyes going hard.
“What?”
“Anything you need to know, I’ll teach you. You won’t be having sex with anyone else. The only person you need to please is me, and I’m fucking thrilled with the way you take me,” he says with a glare.
“I didn’t say I was going to go out and start ho-ing around.” I roll my eyes.
“You better not even think about what it would be like to be with someone else.”
“I’m not.” I frown, watching as he moves the pizza box from between us and sets it on the bedside table. “What are you doing?”
He pulls my paper plate from my hand, setting it on top of the pizza box. His hands go to my ankles, dragging me so I’m flat on the bed underneath him.
“What are you doing?” I repeat as his hands pull both of mine above my head.
“Going to make sure I’m the only one you think about,” he says, rolling his hips into mine, making me gasp as his head bends forward, Then he takes one of my nipples into his mouth. I’m pretty sure every woman in the world would be thinking about him, and only him, if they knew him.
“Oh my God,” I moan, shoving my head back into the pillow.
Suddenly, the doorbell starts going off. Daisy, who was asleep on one of the pillows, jumps up and runs into the living room barking.
“Fuck,” Nico clips. “Do not fucking move.” He kisses me once before jumping off the bed and leaving the room while pulling on a pair of sweats. After about five minutes, he comes back into the room with a scowl on his face.
“Who is it?” I ask, putting on one of his T-shirts and a pair of my cut-off sweats.
“Sven. I gotta go out of town for a couple days, babe. You gonna be good here?” he asks, and I can hear the concern in his voice. I know he hates leaving me alone. I hate when he leaves for any length of time, but I know he loves his job.
“Who’s Sven?” I ask, cleaning up our mess on his nightstand.
“He’s a friend of the family who recently moved out of town to Vegas. He needs me to fly back with him.”
“Why?” I asked, confused.
“He opened a club and has been having some trouble.”
“So what are you doing to help him?” I ask, getting nervous.
I watch him as he goes to the closet to pull out his black duffle bag. He shoves some clothes inside before walking over to the dresser and pulling out a black box, putting it in the bag too.
“Why do you need that?” I ask him as he pulls his gun out from the nightstand and checks the clip.
“You know I always have my gun.”
He’s right. I know he always carries his gun, but I don’t like that he’s going to Vegas and taking a gun with him when he just told me a friend of the family has been having problems at his club.
“I don’t like this,” I say, voicing my fear out loud.
“Baby, you know this is what I do,” he says, coming to stand in front of me, his hands going under my jaw and tilting my head back. “I will be home before you know it, and we can get back to baby-making.” He gives me a naughty grin before getting closer to me.
“You’re crazy. Stop trying to distract me.” I bat his hands away from my breasts, where his fingers started toying with my nipples through his shirt.
“I can’t help it. I’m pissed I finally got you where I want you and now have to leave.”
“You don’t have to leave. You could stay home with me,” I say, sliding my hands up his chest and watching as his eyes darken with my touch.
“Don’t fuck around. You know I will have you bent over the side of the bed before you can say ‘Nico,’” he growls, kissing me.
My clit pulses at his words. I want him to do that, and I really don’t want him to leave.
“Yo! You ready or what?” is yelled from the living room, startling me and breaking the moment.
“Shut the fuck up and sit down!” Nico shouts back before placing his forehead against mine. “Be a good girl while I’m gone. Make sure to call me when you get home from work in the evenings, and don’t forget to set the alarm when you’re in the house.”
“I know, I know.” I roll my eyes. I get the same lecture every time he goes out of town.
“All right, baby. Come walk me out,” he says, picking up his bag and the pizza box.
I follow him out of the room carrying the rest of the mess to throw away. When we reach the living room, the guy who must be Sven stands and runs a hand through his dark hair. He’s pretty—like model-pretty—with dark hair, tan skin, brown eyes, and eyelashes any woman would be jealous of.
“Who do we have here?” he asks, his eyes doing a head-to-toe sweep, making me feel naked. I automatically grab the back of Nico’s shirt for comfort.
“She’s Sophie. She’s mine and none of your damn business, so take your eyes off her,” Nico growls, and the guy looks at him before smiling big and crossing his arms over his chest while rocking back onto the heels of his boots.
“Shit, you too, huh?” He shakes his head, laughing. I don’t know what he’s talking about, but he seems to think it’s funny.
“Shut the fuck up and go sit down,” Nico tells him again, shaking his own head.
I wonder if he talks to everyone like this. I have seen him talk to not only Kenton, but now Sven too.
“You’re not very nice to your friends,” I tell him when we reach the kitchen.
“What?” he asks, setting the pizza box on the counter before taking the garbage from my hand and putting it in the trash can.
“You’re mean to your friends. You told Kenton he’s stupid, and just now, you told that guy to shut up.”
“Kenton needs a wake-up call, and Sven is the biggest player this side of the Mississippi and was looking at you. Again, as I told you before, I don’t need to be nice to anyone but you.”
“What about your family? Are you nice to them?”
“I love my family. I also love Kenton and Sven, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hold my tongue. If someone pisses me off, I let them know.”
/>
“Alrighty then,” I mumble, not wanting to piss him off. It suddenly dawns on me I have pissed him off a few times already, and he had never said anything mean to me, so maybe I’m the exception to the rule. “What about your mom?”
“What about her?”
“Do you hold your tongue with her?”
“Hell yes! My mom is the one person on the planet I’m afraid of,” he replies seriously.
“Really?” I ask, surprised.
“Really. She can put the fear of God in anyone.”
“Wow.” I bite the inside of my cheek, not very excited about meeting her.
“When I get back home, you will meet her,” he says, setting his bag down before crowding me against the island, “and when you meet her, she will love you.” His face goes soft.
“How do you know?” I look up into his eyes.
“It’s hard not to love you.” His soft words make my heart beat a little faster. His mouth touches mine in a soft kiss before he pulls his lips away, holding my face gently in his hands. “Now, be good while I’m gone.” He smiles, kissing my forehead.
“Always,” I tell him, getting up on my tiptoes to kiss him again. “But you be careful, and please don’t do anything stupid.”
“I’m always careful.”
This time when he kisses me, it takes my breath away, and I have to unwind myself from him before he can pick his bag up. I follow him to the door, wanting so badly to tell him that I love him but not wanting to sound like I’m saying it because I’m afraid. He kisses me once more before he pulls the door closed behind him.
“I love you,” I whisper, laying my forehead on the cool wood. I tried fighting what I’m feeling for him, and I tried to push him away even when I hurt myself in the process. He’s right; I need to start living again. I don’t want to push him away and one day have him finally give up on me. I know if I did, I would hate myself for the rest of my life.
Chapter 8
Nico
“So, you really done for, aren’t you?” Sven asks as we make our way onto his private plane. Sven is from old money—his father’s father’s father found oil in Texas on their family’s farm at the start of the oil rush. Since then, his family’s role in the oil industry has only grown.