Ties That Bind (25 page)

She could feel the power and adrenaline coursing through him, his body knifelike against her softer one. His lips were still at her throat, his hands now exploring up her stomach to her chest. He tightened his palm, cupping her breast and her body arched towards him.

“Ash.” His voice was rough, for once his desire completed unveiled.

Outside voices sounded the arrival of the men with dinner.

“Mitch-” she struggled to right herself, get her breath, calm the flush she knew was visible on her entire body.

He accepted his name as a warning and let his hands drop. “Let me change and I’ll be down to help with the food.”

She nodded.  “Are you sure you’re-”

He stepped toward her again, his hand drifting across her cheek before pulling her ear to his lips. “That
leccacazzi
got better than he deserved.”

She turned her lips to kiss his palm then his wrist. “Then that’s all I needed to hear.”

“Maturity,” he chuckled, “looks damn sexy on you. I’ll see you in a minute.”

Casting off his suit and trading it for jeans and a white oxford, he appeared in the kitchen moments later. He rolled his sleeves and began separating out the bags of takeout.

“Do you cook?” She asked, nibbling on a bread stick she’d pulled from one of the boxes.

“Me?” Mitch laughed. “No.”

“I imagine you as one of those tough guys in movies who softens and starts cooking some swoon worthy meal for his lover.”

“Wearing an apron but minus a shirt to show off my manliness?” He laughed again, kissing her head as he passed by. “You’ve built my pedestal much too high. I burn toast.”

“Well,” Ashli sighed, “at least you can order a mean take out.”

“That I can.” Mitch finished unpacking the boxes, spreading everything along the counters. “Grab some for the four of us before I call the troops or there will be nothing left.”

She nodded obediently, grabbing boxes for each of them and tucking wine glasses under her arm.

Mitch stuck his head out the door, calling the men for food before moving into the privacy of the back den. Jimmie was already pouring wine and Teddy doling out the pasta bolognese by the time he sank into the sofa.

“Tell us your life story, Teddy.”

He faltered. “Is that an order?”

Jimmie laughed. “It’s conversation. Why is everyone so damn terrified these days?”

“Uh, because the two of you scare the shit out of all of us?” he offered and then smiled. “But I’m idiot enough to accept that. So, I’m from the neighborhood, you know-”

Teddy only gave a short rundown of his childhood before starting in on his time in the military. Rather than the dark times, though, he kept them laughing as he regaled them with tales of pranks the soldiers did to keep things interesting. As they finished the meal, he offered to pick up the trash and leftovers while Ashli went for another bottle of wine.

When she returned, she stood quiet for a minute, watching over the trio. Jimmie was flipping through the television with the remote, Mitch was unbuttoning his shirt to relax better, and Teddy was still focusing on his last glass of wine.

“This feels so...normal,” she said, handing the bottle to Jimmie and waiting for him to open it. He obliged and she moved to refill everyone’s glasses. “I’d forgotten what normal was like.”

“You dream of normal?” Teddy asked. “That seems too boring for you.”

“You don’t know her very well then,” Mitch countered. He accepted the refill of his glass and then took her wrist in a gentle embrace, tugging her to sit down beside him. She hesitated, her eyes flickering to Jimmie but, although he glanced their way, he made no face of protest.

“Let’s watch
Godfather
.” All eyes flicked to Teddy before laughter erupted from all of them. “Then that’s a no?  How about Nicholas Sparks?”

They settled on
Requiem for a Dream
but, less than a half hour in, they had to wake a dozing Teddy and send him off to bed. Ashli had stretched out on the sofa, her head resting in Mitch’s lap. His fingers drifted through her hair absently, his eyes focused out the windows. The darkness was complete, he could see nothing, but it still didn’t change his gaze.

Jimmie shifted in his chair, drawing Mitch’s attention. He nodded once to his lap where Ashli lay, still engrossed in the film. “You’re okay, right?”

His voice drew Ashli up, her eyes full of wariness. She glanced from one to the other, gauging any discontent, but Mitch gave a single nod.

“I’m good, Jimmie. No ghosts this time.”

Jimmie nodded then stood up and tossed them the remote. “Then I’m off to bed.” He hesitated beside them, his gaze focusing on his baby sister.   “It’s long past time you stop being a victim. Meet me at the firing range at seven.”

Ashli drew in a breath, expecting some hint of a joke. Receiving none, she stood to hug him. “I’ll be there. Thank you, Jimmie.”

He nodded, kissing the side of her head. He raised his eyes to Mitch. “Don’t keep her up too late. My sister,” he said pointedly, “needs her rest.”

Mitch laughed. “I promise not to exhaust her too much.”

“Fuck you, Mitch.”

“Night, Jimmie.”

Ashli watched him leave then turned to face Mitch. “What happened to you two tonight?”

“Male bonding,” he said shrugging. “Come here.”

She moved to stand in front of him, goosebumps rising on her flesh as he pulled her to stand between his legs. His hands drifted slowly up her bare thighs, over her night shorts, and up to her waist. He lifted her without effort, pulling her to straddle his lap.

“Are you drunk?”

He continued to let his fingers roam across her skin, tracing random patterns along the outside of her thighs. “No.”

“Adrenaline filled? Angry? Missing Antoinette?”

“No, no, and yes, always, but not in the way you mean.” He lifted the edges of her tank top, his lips slipping over her skin in a fiery trail.

She let out a soft whimper, sinking lower into his lap. “Alex’s brother is dead.”

“Yes.”

“And you are okay with that?”

“Absolutely.” Mitch’s hands stilled and he leaned his head back to look at her. “Anything else?”

“Jimmie-”

“Is not a fool. He knows my intentions.”

“One more.” She let her fingers drift across his face, her palm prickling from the shadow of a beard he hadn’t taken the time to shave. “Why now? After all this time?  After all my attempts?”

Mitch hesitated. It was a question he hadn’t expected. His fingers pushed under her top, trailing up her spine. Her body shifted, pressing harder against his. Her breaths were ragged, shivers causing her body to tremble in his arms. Mitch leaned back, stretching her body up to rest completely on his. He kissed her throat, his lips searing a path to her ear. “Are you telling me no?”

She didn’t answer but, instead, reached to pull off her top. In a swift jerk, he grabbed her wrists to halt her.

“Ashli, look at me.”

Her eyes were downcast, refusing to meet his intense gaze. His body stilled, his voice like steel. “Please, Ash, I need you to look at me.”

When she finally met his eyes, her own were brimming with tears. Confusion etched across Mitch’s face but, before he could speak, her lips were on his - tender, caressing, nearly loving. The salty taste of tears mingled with kisses caused him to pull a heartbeat away.

“Ash,” he whispered, his breath warm on her throat, “you
can
tell me no.”

Her hand brushed across his face just once, her voice a ragged declaration of need. “No, Mitch, I really can’t.”

Hours later, as dawn began to settle on the horizon, the two lay entwined on Mitch’s bed, both reveling in the quiet world they had created.

“This felt like goodbye.”

“Maybe it was hello,” he murmured, his lips seeking hers once again.

She smiled through his kisses. “Say my name.”

“Do you think I’ve forgotten who’s sharing my bed?” He asked then dropped his lips to hover at her ear. “Ashli Marionette Vinetti.”

“Again.”

He gave a throaty chuckle. “Ash.”

She sighed with content, dropping her head to rest on his chest. Her fingers traced along the outline of his muscles. “We should get dressed.”

“You are the one with a date on the range. I’m not leaving this bed for hours.”

“Is that an invitation to stay?”

He pulled her face to his, his lips caressing the edge of her jawline before finding her mouth. “No. Go spend time with your brother.”

“Is that an order?”

“Yes,” he answered without apology.

She paused in her movements then let out a long breath. “I like it when you are in control.”

He shifted beneath her, rolling her over and pinning her to the bed before she could take a breath. His grip tightened on her wrists, her arms locked in position above her head. He held her there, listening to her racing heart reverberate in the quiet of the room.  “Never say that to a man like me. Understand?”

“Ever my protector,” she kissed him fast on the lips before moving from the bed to pull on her clothes. When she finished dressing, she turned to find him still watching her intently. She moved to him, her hands slipping down his chest to land on his heart. “I understand.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Are you training Teddy as your replacement?”

Mitch glanced up from the security panel screens long enough to gauge Jimmie’s disposition. “I tend not to plan that far ahead. You should know that by now.”

“So you are unhappy here.” Jimmie sank down onto the sofa opposite him.

“Why do you assume that?”

“Something Ashli said.”

Mitch’s mind flew back to their night at the estate less than a month before...when she had accused him of saying goodbye. “Well, that makes it fact, right?”

“She’s smarter than you think. More perceptive, too.”

“Jimmie, I have never once doubted your sister’s inherent qualities. That would be grossly irresponsible.”

“So it’s true then?”

“You do realize I am scanning security reports to try and find a possible C4 detonator that could level this entire building, killing us both?”

“Yes.”

Mitch’s eyes narrowed, his fingers withdrawing from the keyboard. “Then why the fuck are you wanting to have some heart to heart discussion about my future employment strategy?”

Jimmie dropped his eyes. “I-”

But it was Ashli’s appearance in the periphery that made all the pieces click. He had sent her away first during the evacuation along with the other executive staff. Only Jimmie and Teddy had been stubborn enough to remain behind. But here she was, standing before him sans bodyguards. He crossed the room in two strides to face her. “You. I evacuated this whole building, put lives in jeopardy. I have men chasing down some phantom bomb of your own invention, don’t I?”

“Not the whole building,” Ashli corrected. “You stayed.”

“From you I expect such childish antics. But you?” Mitch whirled to face Jimmie. “Fuck you. Fuck both of you.”

“Mitch-” Jimmie tried.

“You were going to leave! I know it! I could feel it every time you walked in a room. Ever since Toni-”

“You,” he breathed, “do not know me half as well as you think.” His gaze locked with Jimmie’s. “I was
not
leaving. But I am now.”

Jimmie was at his side in seconds. “Mitch, listen-”

“To what? How many more times will you allow her desperation to overtake this organization?”

“More times?” Jimmie asked, glancing from one to the other. “What are you talking about?”

Mitch’s sardonic laughter filled the room. “She didn’t tell you.”

“No-” Ashli tried to move between them.

“Shut up,” Jimmie growled. “Tell me what?”

“The warehouse in Atlantic City. The reason you never could find any plausible reason or explanation that made sense. Why after decades of safety your little sis was suddenly a target needing protection your staff couldn’t provide.”

Jimmie straightened, silence growing as he pieced together the revelation. “Is it true? And don’t you dare fucking lie to me.”

Jimmie’s anger radiated through the room, causing Mitch to pause. Reassess. Since joining them, he’d somehow forgotten exactly how deadly James Vinetti could be.

“Yes,” Ashli whispered. “It’s all true.”

Mitch knew Jimmie’s rage had consumed him. No matter how much he loved Ashli, no matter that he’d spent his whole life protecting her, in Jimmie’s eyes she has committed an almost absolute betrayal through her lies. But hurting her would destroy them both and, if Mitch allowed it to happen because of his own fury? He couldn’t live with that option either.