LUCA (You Will Be Mine) (The Sicilian Mafia Series Book 1) (35 page)

I sighed. “Everything. I need to forget the life I have and the person I am. Just for one night, I need to forget.” I looked up into those emerald eyes which held me captive. “Can you be the one to help me forget?”

He leaned down, mere inches away from my mouth. Desire sparked between us instantly.

“I can certainly try.”

“Ayden!” I jumped. “Ayden!”

“Fuck!” It was my mum. What in the hell did she want?

She burst through my bedroom door without knocking. “Mum, what the hell? I could have been naked here.”

She ignored me. “Ayden, Mason and Hunter will be here at any moment. You have to look presentable. You’re always doing this to me! Always trying to make me look bad.”

I smiled. “Why? Are you worried that your little show of happy families is going to fall flat on its arse?”

She put her hand on her hip and sighed. “Ayden, I don’t need your fucking shit today. You’re an ungrateful bitch, who needs to show me some fucking respect.”

I rolled my eyes. “Like you’re doing now? Very respectful,
Mum
.”

She actually stomped her foot. “Ayden, don’t you mess this up for me! This is the first guy since your father who has shown any real respect for me. He treats me like a lady.”

I huffed, thinking that that was rich. She was anything
but
a lady. The way she treated me was a prime example.

“Besides, I heard his son is quite the catch. Every girl your age is after him. Mason's son is very popular around High Wycombe and beyond. You need someone like him in your life. Maybe he can get you out a bit more.”

I laughed. It was funny really. I thought I was out of the house a lot already. Obviously, my own mother thought it wasn’t enough.

“Sure, Kat. Whatever you say.”

She began to walk out, but paused at the last second. “And that’s another thing... call me ‘Mum’ when they arrive, please. I don’t think they’ll feel we’re that close if you call me by my first name.”

I laughed again. That was hilarious. “Oh yeah, because we really
are
that close. When do you fancy braiding my hair next,
Mum
?”

She sighed. “Just fucking do as you’re told.” She looked over my attire. “And tidy yourself up; you look like a slut.” With her last jab at me, she was out the door.

Yeah, that’s my mother. Isn’t she swell?

Sighing, I got off of my bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn’t look too bad. Sure, my skirt could be a little longer, but my grey, off-the-shoulder, loose-fitting top didn’t look at all slutty.

I smoothed my hands down my skirt, but decided to appease my mother and look for something a little longer. I liked wearing skirts because I always got complimented on my legs. I have very long legs. I think I got my height from my father. He was the tall one.

I also have his blonde hair and light blue eyes. My hair is long, almost trailing to my bottom. I kept my hair unchanged all of these years because it was the one thing my dad used to rave about when I was little. He loved my hair, so I daren’t cut it. Luckily for me, I had naturally wavy, smooth hair.

Sighing to myself, I walked over to my wardrobe and looked through my things. There were a few more short skirts in there, but the others looked a little boring. Some of my skirts would have given my mother a heart attack. That thought brought a wicked smile to my face.

In the end, I settled on an above-the-knee, red, flowing skirt. It still said sexy, but it also said elegant. I could handle that, though I wasn’t sure my mum could.

Pleased that I had done enough to satisfy my daughterly duties, I sat back down on the bed and read a magazine. I wasn’t sure how long I had been reading before I heard a car outside. I pricked my ears up, but I didn’t move from my bed. When she wanted me, I had no doubt she would call for me.

In the end, it must have been a record ten minutes before I heard her screaming my name. Even though the door was closed and she was downstairs, her voice still sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

“I’m coming!” I shouted dutifully.

Yes, I wished I was fucking coming. Since meeting “Mysterious Sexy Eyes,” that’s all I had thought about.

I stood up, straightened myself out, and glanced in the mirror one last time before venturing down the stairs. It wasn’t long before I heard the baritone sound of a male voice alongside the sickly, stick-your-finger-down-your-throat giggles from my mother.

I saw my mother at the same moment she spun around to see me. She smiled sweetly and clasped her hands together like she was the proudest Mum in the universe.

Please, someone, give me a bucket!

“Ah, here she is! My only daughter,” she cooed.

I rolled my eyes before the man came into view. I secretly hoped he wasn’t like the other scumbags. I really couldn’t be bothered with having to kick someone else’s balls.

As I neared the next step, I saw his legs, then his torso. Hmm... seemed okay so far. He was actually dressed to impress with a suit. He even looked like he was in good shape.

Next step down.

My heart was beating wildly as his mouth came into view. That mouth looked awfully familiar. The lips were full and pouty. Just like the pair of lips I remembered sucking on the night I had lost my virginity. Just like the pair of lips that had licked...

Next step down.

Oh. Fuck. Me.

Deer caught in the headlights. That’s how both of us looked. If it wasn’t so serious, I would have been laughing my head off. This was no laughing matter, though. None of it was funny at all.

It was only when I got down the next step and noticed that my hand wasn’t moving that I realised I had it gripped to the banister like it was my only lifeline.

I really hoped he was the mail man or something. Maybe just a delivery guy? Jehovah’s Witness, perhaps?

“Ayden, I would like you to meet Mason Davenport.”

Maybe not then!
I was so screwed.

She smiled sweetly and placed a loving hand on a very shocked Mason. “Mason, this is my daughter, Ayden.”

Mason stared at me a little longer. It was beginning to look and feel a little awkward all of a sudden.

As if he sensed this, Mason cleared his throat, smiled, and leaned forward to take my hand. “Nice to meet you, Ayden. I’ve heard so much about you. I practically feel like I know you already.” The undertone to his statement didn’t go unnoticed.

At least he remembered me
. . .

God, what was I saying?

I cleared my throat. How much more agony did I need to endure? “Nice to meet you, too.”

My mother made a noise like a little chipmunk. “It’s so nice that you’ve finally met each other.” She looked around. “Where’s Hunter? He is coming, isn’t he?”

Mason managed to pry his eyes from mine to look at my mother. “Erm... yes. He’s just gone to the local shop to get us a couple bottles of champagne.”

My mother cooed, “Oh, that’s great. Would you like something to drink now?”

I shouted, “No!” just at the same time as Mason shouted, “Yes!”

I didn’t want to be alone with this guy, but it looked like he had other ideas.

My mother laughed. “Mason, what can I get you, darling?”

Mason smiled. “Just some water for now, Kat. Thank you.”

She tapped his shoulder, glared at me to behave, and moved away. I really didn’t want this. “Maybe I should go and help—”

I made a move to go, but Mason grabbed me. “I had no idea.” At least he had the sense to look panicked.

“Oh, and you think I did? This isn’t exactly a picnic for me either.”

His eyes widened. “You won’t say anything?”

I gave him a look. “You really think I want to tell her that the man I lost my virginity to is the same man she’s dating?”

Mason’s eyes went wide again. “I didn’t know you were a virgin.”

I shook my head. “This is
so
not the time to be discussing this.”

He nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.” He paced a little, looking seriously stressed. “Fuck.”

“Darling, here’s your water.” My mother walked in with a spring in her step. You would think she had won the lottery the way she was parading herself though the house.

“So, what is it you wanted to tell me?” I asked, wanting to get to the bottom of it.

“All in good time, sweetie. Hunter hasn’t arrived yet.”

I didn’t know which was more sickening
—
my mother being nice or calling me “sweetie.” I guess it had to be a mixture of both.

I couldn’t understand this. When I met Mason, he seemed like an intelligent man. How the hell he could have failed to see past my mother’s fake smile was beyond me.

I barely had time to comprehend all of this when I heard a car horn blaring outside. Mason smiled and turned to my mother. “That must be Hunter.”

I soon heard a knock on the door, and my mother turned on her heels to answer it. In that brief moment alone, Mason gave me an apologetic look.

Yeah, buddy. You and me both.

I heard my mother greet Hunter in the hall, and then I heard his voice filling the air.

I inhaled sharply. My nostrils flared, and the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I would know that voice anywhere. That voice was nearly identical to the one that was whispering sweet words into my ear not so long ago.

“Fuck, you’re so tight. You’re pussy is so sweet. I can’t get enough of it.”

Surely this couldn’t be? Karma wouldn’t be so cruel!

He entered the room, and all of the air that was in my lungs escaped me at once. He stood there in shock as he penetrated me with those eyes. Suddenly, his lips curved up into that cheeky, but beautiful smile I remembered from two weeks ago.

I felt dizzy. I felt nauseous. Suddenly, the whole room was spinning.

“Shit!” I heard someone shout.

As my head cleared, I was suddenly aware that Hunter was on one side of me with Mason on the other side. They were pulling me up and ushering me towards a chair.

I was in the seven circles of hell. Surely I had just died, and now I was in hell for being responsible for my father’s death. I was being punished for being the murderer my mother always made me out to be.

This couldn’t be any more surreal than it already was. I had two men—both of whom I had slept with over the course of a year—holding me up on either side.

Father and son.

“I can’t say I’ve ever had that affect on a woman before. I suppose there’s always time for a first,” I heard Hunter joke.

My mother giggled. “She’s always been a little melodramatic.”

Trust my mother to stick her nose in it. She would think I had purposely acted faint just to get attention. All I wanted to do was grab a bottle of something strong and head up to my room.

“Are you okay?”

I looked up to see the concern in Mason’s eyes. I gave him a look to say I wasn’t okay. Of course I wasn’t okay. Nothing about this situation was
okay
.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Are you sure?”

I looked to my other side and saw Hunter smiling down at me. He asked the question, but he was obviously too busy feeling smug about my reaction to him when he walked in to care about my answer. He thought I almost fainted because of him alone.

He didn’t know the half of it.

I nodded my head, and Mason gestured for me to take his water. I uttered my thanks, took a sip, and felt my nerves calm down a bit.

“Well, that was a great start to the introductions.” My mother laughed, but then glared at me while Hunter and Mason weren’t looking. They were too busy staring at me like I would break.

I didn’t want this.

“Have you eaten today?” Hunter asked.

I nodded. “I had a sandwich at lunchtime.”

He frowned. “That’s not enough. You need to eat.” He turned to my mother. “Kat, do you have anything she can nibble on for now? Some bread or crackers, perhaps?”

My mother laughed like they were being ridiculous, but moved towards the kitchen. “Sure thing, Hunter. I’ll go grab some crackers from the pantry.” She glared at me again and walked off.

Hunter kneeled down and took my hand. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I looked up, and I really wished I hadn’t. My obsession with those eyes was playing a taunting game with me. His mesmerising gaze was like none other I had ever experienced in my life. It was almost as if he could reach into my soul and pick out all of my sins. Sins I didn’t want him to know about. Sins that would ultimately destroy me if they ever got out. If he knew my sins, he wouldn’t be kneeling beside me with my hand in his. He wouldn’t be sharing with me that look of promises to come. He would be disgusted with me.
I
was disgusted with me.

I nodded, but averted my eyes. I couldn’t have him looking at me like that. Looking like he wanted to eat me until he devoured me whole. There would be no way I could ever go back there with him again.

“Fuck, you feel so good.”

Shit, I was going crazy. I had to stop thinking about that night. I had to get him out of my head.

“Isn’t that just so sweet, Mason? Look, they’re bonding already.”

Mason looked up to my mother and smiled as she handed me the crackers. As I said my thanks, I grabbed one off the plate. Hunter winked at me and then gently swept his finger under my palm.

My whole body reacted. Shit, if just that little touch could set off sparks, then how would it feel if he touched me somewhere more intimate again? I couldn’t allow myself to ever be alone with him. It was just a good thing that my mum wasn’t marrying Mason... Then, I would be in serious trouble.

“Right. Shall we make the announcement, Mason?” She walked over to him, and he placed a loving arm around her shoulder. They both looked happy for some reason.

“Hunter, why don’t you open a bottle of that champagne first?”

Hunter reluctantly let go of my hand and walked towards the two bottles on the table. My mother raced out the room, grabbed four glasses, and came running back. Hunter smiled at my mum and then popped the champagne. My mother cheered, and we all watched as Hunter poured some into all four glasses.