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“You started it.”I shrug.I don’t care who knows what I’ll do to my perfect morsel of a woman.I’d never speak like that in front of our fathers, but that’s out of respect for her.Changing subjects, I say, “My mother is back in town.”
She groans and shrinks down into her seat.Debra Sinclair is a vile piece of work.She was always competing with Juliette Cavanaugh in a race for…well, we have no idea what.When Juliette died in that car wreck, Debra gloated and didn’t hide her glee from anyone.
Once Carmine got sick of her shit, he gave Jermaine a choice, the families or his wife.My father chose wisely and divorced my mother in a matter of weeks.She never stood a chance.Carmine and Jermaine grew up like brothers.Our families are embedded in each other.We may not share blood, but there is a blood bond our great-grandfathers brought over from Ireland during the Great Depression.
Our loyalty is to the families, and if a spouse, a child, or a close friend doesn’t align with those loyalties, ties are cut.
“Why and for how long?”Odette asks.She never liked my mother.Her hatred only grew further when Debra tried to replace Juliette in the three sisters’ lives.It never worked, and the more she tried, the more they hated her.I don’t blame the girls one bit.I’mnot even fond of the woman, and she gave birth to me.Even Holy cut her off years ago.
“Married again, maybe.”She only shows up for two reasons.She wants something or has some shiny new husband to show off.Since my parents split, she’s been remarried three times and is in love at least twice a year.There’s a reason she can’t get a man to stick around, and it has a lot to do with her personality.
“Where is she staying?”Oftentimes, Carmine and Jermaine will allow her to stay at the house.I’ve forbidden it this time.
“Hotel,” I answer as I pull up to the house, an unfamiliar car in the driveway.I’m betting it belongs to Debra.
Odette scoffs.“Like she’ll go for that.”I’ve somehow become the target for her anger, and if that means I kick Debra to the curb so that Odette shares her smiles with me again, so be it.I have no allegiance to the greedy woman, and I won’t let her come between Odette and me.
“Do not open that fucking door,” I snap when she moves to storm out of my vehicle.Like fuck I’m letting her run from me.Getting out, I round the hood.Hearing a car door slam, I ignore it as I open Odette’s.
Her arms are crossed, and there’s a pout on her lips that makes me think of them wrapped around my dick again.“Little rabbit,” I growl when she ignores me.I can see her eyes roll and hear Cece laugh under her breath as she gets out.
With a huff, Odette gives me her hand.Dragging her out and into my arms, I slam my mouth across hers and angle her head to my preference, deepening the kiss before she can protest.Sipping and sucking at her greedily, I don’t allow her to come up for air until I feel like it, and that only happens once her body submits to me.
“Be a good rabbit and take Cece inside,” I whisper against her mouth.
Rebellion flashes in her eyes, but after a minute, she agrees.“Don’t forget you promised.”She waits until I nod before grabbing her friend’s hand and dragging her up the steps and into the house.
“I didn’t take you for a cradle robber, Malice.”The sneer in Debra’s tone instantly mixes anger with my desire to protect Odette.
“I didn’t take you for a whore, yet here we are.”Holy slips out the front door while Carmine and Jermaine watch this encounter from the office window.“What the fuck are you doing here?”While I’m prepared and willing to take over the family business, I will run things differently, and that includes protecting my family from this woman.
Her Cheshire smile doesn’t fool me, especially when her companion exits his vehicle.“I wanted you to meet my new husband, Rex Simon.”From the corner of my eye, I see Carmine seething as Holy makes his presence known and trudges down the front steps.
“You’re not welcome here,” he barks.
“I don’t think that’s your choice, son.”She hates that the son she babied despises her.
“You’re right,” I say, and she smiles like she won some prize.“It’s mine.Get the fuck out of here, and don’t come back.”
“Is that any way to speak to your mother?”Rex finally speaks up.The office window is empty, so I’m confident that the fathers are coming this way.
“I suggest you leave before you get buried out back, Simon.You are never and have never been welcome here,” I warn as the door bursts open.
Carmine charges down the steps, ready to rip the asshole’s head off when I register the sound of another engine coming down the driveway.Holy and I have a gun in hand before I can identify who the driver is; though, Carmine seems to know as he stands frozen at the bottom step, staring the car down.Noa Carmichael exits her vehicle, and I’m very aware of how all eyes are now on her.
“Hello.”She gives an awkward wave.“I was asked to meet Odette and Cece here after school for some final exam tutoring.”She tries not to stare at Carmine but fails, and that draws more attention from Rex.
“Holy, take her inside,” I mutter to my brother.
“Sure, I’ll bring you to them,” he says to her.“Can we get you anything to drink?”
For once, my brother doesn’t push the envelope and flirt with the woman that Carmine is clearly interested in.They’re inside before anyone can move, so when Carmine whips out a pistol and holds it towards Simon, no one is more shocked than me when Debra steps in the way.
“Leave.”Carmine utters the single word with more vehemence than I’ve ever heard from the man.
“I’d do as he suggests, Debra,” my father sighs, obviously tired of her bullshit.He put up with it for enough years that I don’t blame him.
“This is ridiculous, all I wanted was to see my children.”She curses as she stomps back to the passenger side of the car.
