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I pulled her into my arms, forcefully enough that she bumped into me with an “Oomph!”
“You assassins are all the same,” I teased. “Have to over-analyze and over-plan everything.”
She raised an eyebrow, looking up at me with a cocky glint in her eye. “Because we have to be prepared for every possibility.”
“Now you’re part of a team,” I pointed out. “You don’t have to know everything going in. Half the fun is working out the details together … in workandwith our relationship.”
“What relationship?” she quipped innocently. “I don’t remember agreeing to be in a—”
I leaned down and kissed her hard until both of us were fighting for breath before I pulled away. “I think,” I said in between taking in huge breaths of air, “we can both agree that whatever this is between us can definitely, at the very least, be called the start of a relationship.”
Chapter 28
Alessia
Thewheelstoucheddownon the tarmac much too soon and way too long for my taste. Too soon because I hadn’t yet come up with a plan on how to deal with my brothers, nor had I been able to pin down Matteo about what they knew regarding my disappearance. Too long because if Brody and I had spent much more time together without having sex, I was pretty sure I might’ve burst. Or possibly disintegrated from internal combustion. We both seemed to have the same reluctance to take advantage of the jet’s bed for reasons other than sleeping while coming off a mission, though the heat between us hadn’t dissipated. I knew that until we landed, I still felt like I was on company time, even though I wasn’t. And I was betting Brody felt like he was returning from the field as well.
I was the first to step out of the plane and onto the stairs, relieved to be back home until I looked up. Seeing the unwelcome welcoming party, I pulled up suddenly, almost causing Brody to run into me. He stopped short, placing a hand on my arm, whether in comfort or to steady himself, I wasn’t sure. All four of my brothers stood, side by side, leaning against one of the two black SUVs parked next to the tarmac, looking all the world like four fathers looking down at their daughter returning home two hours past curfew. Squelching the urge to squirm, I straightened my shoulders and met them look for look. Gideon, hands in his pockets, stared at me with an unreadable expression. Keene, his arms crossed in front of him, glowered at me. Royce and Boone were on either side of them with twin scowls.
“Well, shit,” I muttered, reading the situation in under a second. “Ain’t this a warm homecoming,” I drawled loud enough for them to hear. “I haven’t even been gone a full day. I don’t think a quick trip really rates all y’all taking time to meet me at the airport.” Gliding down the steps, I walked straight to them, keeping a smile fixed on my face as if I hadn’t a care in the world.
I stopped at Gideon first, reaching up on my toes to kiss his cheek before moving on to Boone, Keene, then Royce. None of them moved a muscle. “Where’s Gia?” I asked, looking around as if she would appear out of thin air.
“Home, now that we know she’s not in any danger,” Gideon replied, his tone mild.
I hated guilt trips. As a kid, I remembered once begging Daddy for a whooping rather than the lecture he’d given me when I’d put blue hair dye in the cheerleader’s shampoo bottle during gym class. Of course, no one could prove I was the one who’d done it, but everyone knew it was me. It’s not like I’d hidden my snickering and gloating—but even as a teen, I knew better than to leave physical evidence. By that age, I’d figured out how to avoid cameras and carried latex gloves in my pocket, just in case.
I sighed, dropping the innocent act. “I’m sorry if y’all were worried about me.”
“If? If we were worried about you.” Keene unfolded his hands in a rush, and I wondered for a second if he would try strangling me in his frustration before he pushed back into the side of the vehicle again. I felt Brody move to stand next to me, Matteo on my other side, having my back while I faced down the wall of testosterone. “You let yourself get kidnapped, stole our jet, and vanished for almost twenty-four hours!”
“I wasn’t the one who stole the jet.” I wasn’t about to take the fall for that one. There was enough for them to be angry at me without adding that one to my tally. “That was all Matteo and Brody. I wasn’t even in the country at the time.”
It was Boone’s turn to swear. “Weren’t in the—are y’all hearing her?” He and Royce had taken a step forward, the Accardi brothers closing ranks around us in a half-circle, but I wasn’t about to be intimidated into taking a step back.
I tipped my chin up. “I’m pretty sure they heard me, Boone.”
Gideon shared a look with Keene. “So you admit you let yourself get kidnapped.” Keene’s statement had me straightening my spine.
“I didn’t say that. I was just addressing the biggest issue first.”
Royce chimed in, “You think a missing jet is the biggest issue?Youwere missing. We watched the video of a man coming at you before you both disappeared out of frame. Your car, purse, and cell were left on the sidewalk by your car, and you couldn’t even bother to call us on your way home to tell us you were all right?”
Guilt punched me in the gut again. “I’m sorry that y’all were worried. If I had known that you were fully aware of the situation, I would have called. And I’ll admit, I had a somewhat eventful day and haven’t had a chance to get my bearings yet.” I wasn’t sure what to tell them about the kidnapping. Yes, I could admit to being blindfolded the whole time and the men rescuing me before anything eventful happened. I could claim I wasn’t sure who was behind it all, but I didn’t have a story for how Matteo and Brody knew where I was, let alone why they didn’t call the authorities and have them rescue me. But in the end, I didn’t have the energy to create—and sell—some elaborate story I knew they wouldn’t believe, no matter how well I lied.
“I think it’s time you came clean, Alessia.” Gideon stood to his full height lazily, pulling back from where he was resting against the car, pulling his hands out of the pockets as he did so. “We know.”
What did they know? Or, more likely,thoughtthey knew? I blinked once, not allowing myself any more time to hesitate, lest they pounce like vultures on a fresh carcass. “If you know, then I really don’t think we need to discuss it.” I reached up and patted his chest, taking a step back to look over at the two men at my back while still talking to the ones in front of me. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve had a really,reallylong day and want nothing more than to face plant onto my bed. Alone,” I added with a pointed look at Brody. “Do y’all mind giving us a ride, or should I call an Uber?”
Without warning, the door to the second SUV opened, and a figure dressed in his typical stuffy suit emerged, buttoning his suit jacket as he exited. I couldn’t help my inhale of surprise and heard a similar noise coming from Matteo. Brody, obviously knowing whoever this was had caught us both off guard, stepped up beside me, studying him closely.
“I know you’re eager to get home, my dear,” the rough yet cultured voice said. “But I’m afraid we need to clean this whole mess up—with your brothers, the mission, and your future.”
Brody extended his hand to him, closing the distance between them. “I’m Brody. Nice to officially meet you. I’m Alessia’s new permanent PSO.” He said that with no hesitation as if it was a done deal.
“Harrison Accardi.” Uncle Harry returned the handshake. “Your new boss.” As Brody stepped back, I came forward, wrapping the older man in a hug. “And Alessia’s uncle,” he added as he weakly returned my greeting. He never was great at showing affection, but I knew my demonstration pleased him.
“You know each other?” I asked as I pulled back, looking between the two men.
