Convincing Lina: A Bachelor of Shell Cove Novel (The Bachelors of Shell Cove Romance Book 2) (28 page)

“I enjoy debate, as well as any man. I don’t like mud slinging.” Lina crinkled her nose in understanding. Dissecting a person’s life, in search of leverage for political gain held no appeal for her. She valued her privacy too much to consider a career as a public servant.
 

“I’m not sure how long Gideon will be gone. You can leave his documents with me. I’ll make sure he gets them.”
 

Ian regarded her quizzically.

“You and Gideon seem to get along well.” Where was he going with this?

“Yep,” she replied.
 

“You plan on sticking around?” Lina placed her mug on the countertop, giving Ian a
don’t go there
with me look.

“Why did you really stop by, Ian?” Lina crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

“Gideon is my brother and I love him.”

“But,” she prompted.
 

“He had a lot of scars. Some you can see, most you can’t.”
 

“I know about his nightmares, Ian. I’m not afraid of Gideon.” He looked surprised.
 

“There’s more. I can see that he cares about you, but Gideon prefers to live in the present.” Lina was getting upset.

“Most people prefer to focus on the present and the future. I don’t see that as a character flaw, Ian.”
 

“Please don’t be angry. What I’m saying is none of us are exempt from our past. We can’t put our pasts in a time capsule and start over like it never existed.”

“I know that,” she hissed.
 

“You do, but Gideon does not. You should know what you’re getting–” The front door to the cabin banged against the rear wall. Gideon’s hulking frame filled the door way.

“What are you doing here, Ian?” He growled. Gideon turned hard eyes on her. Lina nearly shrank away, even though he hadn’t taken a step towards her. Why was Gideon so pissed?

The banging at the door woke Gideon from the best sleep of his life. It was the door opening that had him out of the bed and on his feet. He was sure the bad guy was back in Shell Cove, but his brothers knew to keep clear of the cabin, so it had to be Jacob.
 

“I’m coming out.”

“I was not coming in, trust me. After all the racket you two were making up at the house.”

Gideon closed the door behind him.
 

“Enough said, what brought you all the way out here at eight o’clock in the morning.”

“A little spitfire named Bernadean James called. She said, she’d better hear her daughter’s voice in the next twenty minutes or a group of triple OG’s are rolling in on us. She promised that I wouldn’t like it.” His father who was usually reserved, laughed-deep and hearty. Gideon heard Lina’s movements in the bedroom. Lina opened the door and his heart pounded in his chest. His woman was gorgeous in the morning after a night of love making.
 

“I heard everything, get me to a phone. If she said twenty minutes, you are on a timer and her luggage is in the car. You will be sorry if mom rounds up her Ocean Girls book club and starts heading this way.”

“A book club?” Both he and his father looked at Lina incredulously.
 

“Don’t underestimate a group of avid readers. Those women read everything from romance to urban fiction and they know a thousand ways to make you bleed.” Laughter boomed in the room.
 

“An all-women gangster book reading club.” An image of three, sixty something year old women, decked out in urban gear with their book club logo embroidered on matching t-shirts, bouncing on twenty-four inch rims flashed in his mind. He laughed harder and his father must have had a similar vision. Gideon shook his head to rid himself of the mental image.
 

“Both our phones were powered off, safely tucked away in the bedside table.” Lina looked at him with wide eyes.
 

Gideon shrugged his shoulders, non-apologetically, “We had an important decision to make.”

“I noticed Lina is wearing your ring. When’s the big day?” Gideon saw the shock register on Lina’s face before she thrusted her hand in the air staring at his ring. The chain around his neck was empty, his mother’s ring, now graced Lina’s finger.
 

“As soon as she says yes.”

Chapter 17

His pulse pounded in his ears. Careful to obey the speed limit, he cruised down the block of the residential neighborhood. He used the heel of his left hand to deliver repeating blows to his temple. The sound of Lina’s screams that night had quieted in his head. He hated not hearing her voice. This was his twelfth time driving by the doctor’s house. Where had he taken Lina? His Lina. Her car remained in the same parking spot for five days. He’d given up on visiting the condo. It was stupid to attack when she was with him. He should have waited until she was alone, but everyone kept coming between them. The foolish woman had interfered. He didn’t like hitting women. They never fought back hard enough.
 

 
When he threw the brick, the doctor moved like a trained soldier. He didn’t hesitate, he didn’t flinch at the sound of breaking glass. It was too dark for him to see Lina, but the man he’d seen clearly. He had been naked. He could hear his own breathing, fast and erratic. His Lina was in bed with another man. Whore. She’d let the doctor shield her body with his bare flesh. Rage blazed hot in his veins.
 

Damn barking dog and floodlights almost got him caught. By the time the sirens sounded in the distance he was safely hidden in the Range Rover five blocks away. But he’d waited too long to double back. The Cadillac the doctor drove was gone when he jumped the neighboring fence. Now he couldn’t find Lina. Exiting the neighborhood he took the entrance ramp to I-95 South.
 

He needed to think. Taking several deep breaths he slowed his heart rate. The soldier masquerading as a doctor would pay for taking her away. A soldier was a respectable opponent for him. Though he lacked formal combat training, the criminal underworld had trained him as a killer. He was good at killing, enjoyed it most days.
 

A familiar tune by Boys II Men droned on the radio and he reached to change the station, then the chorus rang out.
You know I love you mama
, the balladeer crooned. He knew how to bring Lina out of hiding. Crossing two lanes of traffic he took the Roosevelt Boulevard exit headed west. He parked his car and waited. He would bring his Lina home.

Her mother had been attacked. The call from Bishop had rocked Lina to her core. Lina and Gideon were in the car eating up the miles headed south. A masked man accosted Bernadean in the parking lot after work. After throwing her to the ground, he proceeded to pour blood on her. Too distraught following the attack, Bernadean was at Willa’s house for tonight. When Lina called, Willa informed her that Bernadean had taken a sedative and had finally gone to sleep. They still didn’t have the answers they needed to stop the attacks. Because of her, the best mother she could have hoped for had been attacked. Guilt and regret sat like lead weights to Lina’s chest. If she had stayed in Shell Cove the attention would’ve remained on her, rather than involve her family.
 

The repairs to both their houses were complete and their time in Waverly Falls had come to an end. Janna liaised with Thane when he arrived in Shell Cove. According to Janna, she would be pleased with the remodel. Gideon was silent as they entered the Shell Cove city limits.
 

He was distracted and for the life of her she couldn’t understand why.
 

“Gideon, nothing happened between me and Ian.”

“I know that,” came his terse reply.
 

“So, what’s with the silent treatment?”

“What did he say to you?”

“He thinks that we are good together and said he was happy you were finally moving on with your life. He said you’re stubborn. Which I’m discovering is an understatement.”

“Anything else?”

“No.” She was hesitant. Gideon visibly relaxed. “What’s going on, Gideon? What aren’t you telling me?”

“It’s water under a very old bridge. Ian and I disagree on how I handled the situation until recently. It has nothing to do with you and me. My past won’t stay buried.”

“Nothing stays buried. Being a psychiatrist you understand that better than most.”

“Everything is taken care of. Change of subject, I know you love living near the water, if you had the option to build a house where would it be?” Lina leaned over the center console stroking his inner thigh.
 

“Hmm, interesting question doctor. You’re asking me to dream build a house with you?”

“I would love to live in Avondale. With its canopy lined streets, historic charm and water views it has everything I would want in a neighborhood.”

“How about we build the house of your dreams in Avondale?”

“Get out. You would give up your custom built bachelor’s pad for me?”

“That ring on your finger means I’m asking you to do a lot of sacrificing for me.” Lina pulled back then.
 

“Yeah, we need to talk about what this ring means to you. I know it belonged to your mom, and I’m honored that you want me to wear it, but…”

“There’s no but. The ring belonged to my birth mother. She would pawn it when we needed money. She once told me, no matter what happened, she would always come back for that ring. I found it in the Waverly Falls pawn shop when I was seventeen. So, as soon as you tell me you’re ready to get married, I’m going to make you my wife.” Oh God, he held onto the hope that his mother would return for him.
 

“Wow, I’m not…”

“Let’s not do this in the car, while I have to keep us alive, by paying attention. We will talk more when we get home.”

“You want to get married?”

“Yes, Lina. You sound as if you don’t believe me. I don’t go around asking for a woman’s hand in marriage to fill a lull in polite conversation.”
 

“I’m sorry. I either slept through your proposal or I was in a sexual stupor when I agreed to marry you.” She didn’t think she would forget her proposal. Was the sex that good?
Yes
.
 

Gideon abruptly pulled the car off the road. Arm propped on the steering wheel he turned to face her. Though he moved fast his touch was gentle when he touched her cheek.

“You have nothing to apologize for. I’m a moron.” Lina regarded him with more confusion.

“My birth family, never had much they could claim as their own. I think I inherited that trait. No matter how much money I made I still felt like I had nothing. Until I found you, Lina. That ring on your finger is mine. It’s a part of my soul and I gave it to you because you’re a part of me. I’m asking you to spend the rest of your life loving me. And I pray to God that you say yes, because I won’t live another day without you.” Oh God, she felt tears prick her eyes. She never cried.
 

“Yes.” She whispered. This was her dream come true.
 

“Yes to everything?” Gideon trapped her chin in his hand. “You gonna be my wife?” She felt his hands shaking.
 

“Yes.”

“You will marry me and we are going to build our home, together.” She gave a barely perceptible nod for fear her head would fall off her neck because the earth had tilted on its axis. “Say the words.”