Hush 2: Slow Burn Read online

I can hear the smug chuckle in his voice. He knows I am completely shattered, but that isn’t going to stop him. He also knows I will not deny him a thing. Even if this post wasn’t holding me up so that I don’t collapse into a heap of goo, I would give him my all until I have no more.

  He doesn’t wait for my answer as his hands cup my breasts. He starts to knead them, pinching and plucking my right nipple between his fingers. My body is still convulsing against him as he plows his way to his own release whispering dirty, sweet, commanding words into my ear. He knows what he is doing to me.

  Just the sound of his voice rumbling through me is enough to send me spiraling over the edge again. It is not unusual for Jas to make me come so hard I pass out. As he plants his feet further apart, gripping my waist with one hand, pulling me to him to match his upward thrusts that are becoming jerky and sharp, that is exactly what I do.

  My orgasm hits and I black out on a silent open-mouthed scream. The last thing I remember is my husband flooding my womb with his hot seed as he roars out and supports my body from crashing to the floor. My last thought is; I’ll just have to tell him about the baby when I wake up.

  chapter Four

  Crashing Cars

  Shannon

  New York

  Here I sit with my head against the window as Rita’s driver Petey drives towards Uri and Valentina’s house. I need to make some decisions. I can’t keep living like this. I should find a place of my own. Sure Uri bought a house big enough for him, Valentina, and a small country.

  I just don’t want to be a burden. Valentina and Uri seem to love having everyone living with them, but if I want to start fresh, I need to start fresh on my own. I have never been on my own. I just have to decide where I plan to live.

  Chicago seems so lonely now that Papa and Uncle Valentine have been in Italy since everyone found out about that bitch that ruined our family. Honestly, I don’t blame Papa. There are way too many memories there.

  I love New York; I have made so many friends here. Maybe I should find a place here and even take Nico up on his offer to take me out on a date. I snicker at my drunken thoughts. I have a friend that moved here to Harlem after high school. Sinclair was one of my few friends in high school, but that bitch never approved of my friend. Maybe I can find a place close to Sinclair.

  “I hope you are not going crazy on me,” Rita chuckles, drawing me from my thoughts.

  “Nope, not going crazy, I think I am finally thinking straight. I plan to make some changes in my life. First, one being finding my own place. I hate staying at Luca’s place and I think it is time I leave Valentina’s,” I say nodding my head at my own thoughts.

  Rita gives me the side eye. “Listen, I don’t get what is going on with you and Luca. Like I said, I don’t know him, but maybe you should sleep the alcohol off first before making any real decisions. You never know what could happen that will make you change your mind,” Rita shrugs and bites her lip.

  I have come to know her well. That look tells me she is trying to tell me something without really telling me much. I study her face processing her words. Rita glances away from me and winces.

  “I have to pee. I should have gone before we left. Ugh, what was I thinking,” Rita mutters. “Petey, can you pull over. I have to go. I’m so sorry. I’m not going to make it.”

  I call bullshit in my head, but I need the space as much as she does as I try to process her last words. Maybe she is right and I need to clear my head of the alcohol rolling through my system. However, knowing Rita as I have come to know her she knows something I don’t.

  My head hurts from trying to think too much through my wine induce fog. Perhaps I am just making things up. So I won’t decide on the move right now, but as the car door closes behind Rita, I do make a decision on something else.

  As confused as I feel inside about who I am and where I really come from I know one thing. Luca doesn’t get the right to make me feel like shit. I snort because those were the last words my sister had said to me before she and her husband took off on a trip yesterday.

  I almost asked to tag along with them, but when I realized they were only taking Vita, I decided against it. They need time alone as a family. I pull out my phone and squint at the screen before I find the right number. Or at least, I hope I am dialing the right number. It is a little late to be dialing random people.

  It would be just my luck that I would call one of the clients Valentina has entrusted me with since she hired me to help with her business. I was so proud when she gave me the job with her bag and shoe company. It is her baby, but she has given me so much responsibility with it lately as she has been taking on some work with Nate and Rita.

  I snicker to myself as I think of the bad ass women in my life. When I found out Rita is a part of Briggs Security’s elite bodyguards a shiver ran through me. It was something in the look I saw in her eyes. It was the same look that you notice in the eyes of the men in her family. It is a look I see when I look in Valentina and Uri’s eyes. I never put a finger on it until having them all in the same room and seeing it for what it was.

  I had been totally floored when Valentina told me everything about our past and what she does for the family. Everything clicked into place that day. She didn’t go into the gory details, but I have heard things despite what Valentina thinks and I know my sister is one scary …

  The voice I have longed to hear pulls me from my thoughts. I hate that just his voice can make my heart speed up and melt at its sound. “Hello,” he answers the phone. It is the first time he has answered one of my calls in months, which serves to piss me off more and slaps me out of my moment of weakness.

  “You don’t have to want me,” I slur into the phone in my rage.

  “Shannon?” The idiot asks. Who the fuck else does he think is calling him at this time of night. Is that why he up and left me? Is he with someone else? Is that it, I’m not good enough for him so he went to find someone that is?

  I snort. “Is there someone else not good enough for you? I met Pamela, God I can’t even hate her. She is so sweet, so cool. Did you know you call her name in your sleep? You don’t have to love me, Luca. You would have to know me to love me, and I don’t even know who I’m supposed to be anymore.”

  “Shannon, Baby listen to me. I’m on my way home. Where are you? Is someone with you?” Luca rushes out. I wish he were here so I could smack him. Baby, psh. When did I become baby?

  I am fuming and I decide to give him a piece of my mind before Rita gets back in the car and takes the phone from me. I may say something I’ll regret in the morning, but I can’t take it anymore. Does he even know that despite my very own heart’s warnings I have fallen in love with him?

  I frown at the phone then look up as light blares through the glass. “I am –,” my words are cut off as I scream when those blaring lights don’t stop, but run right into the car Petey and I are sitting in. My scream and the sound of crunching metal and glass are the last things I comprehend before it all goes black.

  ~B~

  Rita

  I know I said too much. Shannon is a lot smarter than everyone gives her credit for. It is why I don’t get this thing with Luca. If it were me, I would just let his ass go. I sigh because it is none of my business. Uri, Valentina, Nate and Pam are all on their way to talk some sense into him. I am so exhausted from sitting up all night with Hannah that I almost told her where they are all off to.

  Nate would kick my ass, but I am more afraid of Uri. I shiver at the thought as I pretend to relieve myself. I smile when my phone rings. Looking at the caller ID, I see it is my husband. I am so glad Marcus and I have gotten our shit together. I hate watching what Shannon is going through.

  “Hey, Baby,” I sing into the phone. I start to walk further away from the view of the car not wanting to chance Shannon seeing me on the phone. Petey knows there is no way I am pissing on the side of the road, but he knew better than to argue with my request.

  “Hey Beautiful, where are you? I thought you’d be home when I got here. It was a long day. I can’t wait to have you in my arms,” Marcus purrs into the phone.

  I can’t believe my husband can still get me to smile so hard my face hurts. I love this man so much. Just to think my own immaturity almost cost me this life. I turn to look back at the car. I send up a silent prayer that Shannon gets her happily ever after.

  I don’t know what Luca’s problem is, but I know it has nothing to do with the fact that she is mixed. That witch that was posing as her mother did a number on her. Shannon just needs to find her confidence in herself once again.

  Shannon is a beautiful woman. She can have any man she wants. I smile as I think of a few guys I can hook her up with if this thing with Luca doesn’t work out.

  “I’m giving Shannon a lift home and then I should be home,” I say to Marcus as my thoughts turn to my little family. I miss my babies and my husband. Hanging out with the girls is always fun, but right now I want to kiss my babies up and wrap myself in my husband’s strong arms. “I will be in said arms in less than thirty minutes.”

  “Good because I want to discuss that little boy or girl we should be making,” Marcus chuckles.

  “Dream on Mairettie,” I snort. “I told you while I was pushing Hannah out that we would be waiting, at least, another year or two before we have another.”

  “Rita, why do you have to fight me on everything? Just give your husband what he wants. I want another baby; I want to watch you swell with my baby again. Did I tell you how sexy you were pregnant with both of my babies?”

  “Oh please Marcus,” I laugh. “You grumbled through both pregnancies when the sex was cut off due to them being high risk. I think you and I both know it would be best to wait a while before we rush into the next baby.”

  “Well I want to at least get in some practice so hurry your sexy….”

  I don’t hear the rest of his words as I hear the squeal of tires. Lights blur my vision and it is only seconds before I realize what is about to happen. I scream out hoping Petey will hear me but it’s useless.

  “Oh my God, Petey, drive Petey, get out of the way,” I shout.

  Hot tears flow from my eyes as I watch two of my friends being tossed in the air by another vehicle. The A7 we were riding in flips in the air from the force of the SUV that rammed it. I watch it flip once, twice, three times before it lands on its top, upside down.

  “Marcus,” I whisper as I duck behind a tree. The SUV sits for a moment as if to make sure the job is done. I don’t want to be spotted. I am not sure how many are in the truck.

  I reach into my bag, thankful that I brought it with me and pull out my glock. “Baby, what the fuck was that?” Marcus bellows into the phone.

  “Babe, I need you to call for help. Call my uncle and have him track my car. We took the 7 tonight. Tell him that someone just rammed my car on the side of the road. We need emergency services. Shannon and Petey were still in the car when it was rammed. Tell him to hurry. This wasn’t an accident,” I whisper back.

  “What!” Marcus growls. “Where are you? What the hell is going on?” Marcus asks as I hear him moving around, his breathing heavy with anxiety.

  “I am fine right now, but I need to get off the phone and I need your help, Babe. Now!” I whisper back forcefully before hanging up.

  A guy has emerged from the SUV and he is walking around the vehicle. He pulls a pistol and I lift my gun training it on his head. Before I pull the trigger sirens call his attention away from the car. He jogs back over to the SUV and that is when I see another two cars on the side of the road.

  It looks like two cars with innocent bystanders. This road is not always busy but thankfully they seem to have been the ones to call for help. I squint to see one of the passengers has a phone out recording. I am going to need that phone.

  For now, I rush towards the tossed metal that is encasing my friends. I can hear Petey’s groans right away. Petey is a large guy, six two at least two hundred and fifty pounds. He used to be on my team in London when Marie had no idea I was a part of her detail. I am close with all my guys, but Petey has always been like a big brother to me. He is one of the few guys that isn’t a family member in some way, that we have on family detail.

  Family detail is what we call any assignment that involves watching over the Mairetties, Fecteaus,or any member of the Briggs family. Petey was a runaway that Uncle Earl found on the streets. When Petey did a poor job of pickpocketing Uncle Earl, he looked into finding Petey’s family only to find that his father was a drunk and his mother had run off. Petey became part of the family from then on.

  I can feel the hot tears as I kneel down to find Petey’s head bloody and his body pinned at an awkward angle. My eyes shift to the back seat to find Shannon crumpled in a heap on the roof of the car which is now acting as the floor.

  “Oh my God, please hold on,” I whisper to them both as the sirens get close.

  chapter Five

  Chaos

  Marcus

  New York

  I can’t believe this shit is happening. Once I dropped the kids off to Mom and Dad’s I rushed to the hospital. Jas had text me to let me know that while Rita was not in the accident, she was physically okay and just upset about Shannon and Petey. Petey was rushed into surgery for internal bleeding.

  Shannon was still being attended to with no real news as of yet. I burst through the hospital doors to find my wife pacing. Marie is sitting next to Jas wringing her hands in her lap as Jas massages the back of her neck.

  Both Marie and Rita have become so close to Shannon. It has been interesting to see the women in our family and our new extended family become so close. They have become one unit even as they have broken off into little cliques.

  Rita, Marie, and Shannon’s trio seems to have come about due to their closeness in age, Shannon being the youngest. Not that they don’t get along or fit in with the older women. You can just tell they have bonded around the common ground.

  Jas is the first to spot me and he nods causing his father to take notice that I have arrived. My Uncle-in-law, Earl, seems to be relieved at the sight of me. When Rita turns and runs straight into my arms, I can see why.

  Rita is trembling in my arms. I kiss the top of her head and lock my arms around her tightly. My girl is always so strong. It is breaking my heart right now to see her like this. I pull away slightly and look her in the eyes.

  “Are you okay,” I ask as I look her over for myself. “You scared the hell out of me. You weren’t in the car?”

  I furrow my brows because I am still a bit confused on the details. The accident was all over the news when I dropped Daniel and Hannah off at my parents. All I could get before rushing out the door was that two individuals were being cut out of the car.

  “I’m fine. I was outside the car when it happened, talking to you. This was not a random accident. Someone did this and didn’t intend for their target to make it out alive,” Rita says through tight, trembling lips.

  I am instantly on high alert. I look over to both Jas and Earl. Earl stands and nods for me to follow him. I kiss Rita on the lips before whispering in her ear.

  “Everything is going to be fine,” I say, squeezing her arms gently and moving to follow Earl off to the side.

  “This is bad,” Earl says quietly as I stop in front of him. “Thomas is on his way. He is just seeing to a few things. Security is going to be on high alert from here on out. This was not a random hit and it was meant for both Rita and Shannon, we believe.”

  “What,” I bellow not remembering where I am. I look around to see a few people gawking but ignore them and step closer to Earl lowering my voice. “What do you mean this was meant for the both of them. Who the fuck is targeting my wife, now?”

  “We’re not sure, but we think it is all linked to an incident with Jas, Marie, and Olivia a few months back. Thomas will be here shortly and we can get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later. It seems someone called his phone with a threat on all of our women right before the accident,” Earl sighs.

  “Are you shitting me?” I growl in a low voice.

  “Not at all, Son, it gets worse. Wyatt Black called Jas. It seems whoever this threat is they’re reaching into his backyard as well targeting his wife,” Earl grumbles.

  I run a hand down my face. “This is not good,” I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

  “No, it is not. My brother and cousins are already on alert if we need. Your uncles are watching in the wings. This can get ugly really fast,” Earl mutters rubbing his jaw.

  I can feel my own jaw tick. My uncles are not to be toyed with. There is a reason my family has the type of security it does and it has little to do with our high-profile clients and cases or the fact that we are wealthy.

  You don’t just make friends with families like the Donatis by chance. Our connections run deep, but to be the legit law firm my father and his father and his father’s father wanted they had to hide a few family facts. This is very bad. Someone is starting a fight they won’t be able to finish.

  “Does Sam know all of this,” I ask quietly.

  Earl gives a silent nod. I sigh again rubbing the back of my neck. Will this family ever have a moment of peace?

  “If that girl doesn’t pull through, whoever is behind this won’t have to worry about our family. Some people will be made to hush and I am sure his bride will accompany him for this particular killing spree,” Earl mutters almost to himself.

  “God, I need a vacation,” I mumble throwing my head back.

  “Look, the doctor is talking to Jas and Rita. Let’s see what is going on,” Earl pats me on the back.

  chapter Six

  Time for Truth

  Luca

  In route to New York from London

  I just keep hearing Shannon’s voice in my ear. I can’t believe she is hurt somewhere right now and I am clear across the country because of my own stupidity. I should be with her. If I were with her, she would be safe.

  I have just had so much on my mind. I am actually the head of the family now. It will be made official in a few weeks with my father and Don Caprisi’s return to the States. It was initially my plan to hide out in London until they both returned. Then I would follow and handle the mess I have made with Shannon.