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“Why did he hate her so much? Did he ever love my mother or sister? The lengths he’s taken to remove Sabina from our lives. He set this maniacal plan in motion years ago, beginning with the train bombing and then my mother’s murder, and now a professional hit with a target on Sabina’s back. As much as I want to hate Bourne for keeping Sabina from me, he’s also responsible for keeping her alive and safe. It should have been me protecting the women in this family, and let’s face it, I’m responsible for all the havoc he’s caused because he placed me exactly where I wanted to be.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Lucas,”
“Why the hell not! The fact was and still is that I focused too much on the business. It’s because I wasn’t paying attention to what mattered, and that was my family. I failed my mother and sister, Gio, and I will have to live with that truth for the rest of my life. I’ll serve my penance in the constant state of purgatory if I could have Sabina back. First, however, Marco Santoro will answer for his sins in hell. He has to die and will die at my hands, but first, I must get Sabina back.”
“You don’t even know where she is? And even if you did, do you honestly believe she would go anywhere with you? And there’s Bourne to consider; he has made his intentions known when it comes to Sabina.”
“Please, I don’t want to think of Bourne Atwater defiling my sister’s virtue, but knowing that doesn’t make you wrong. Bourne will never let her go because he's claimed her as his. War is not an option because one of us will end up dead, and I don’t feel like dying anytime soon. He’s a former everything in the Army with a line of bodies piled high behind him. Our family faced him once in battle, and you know how that ended, right?”
“Four of our best men returned to us in multiple pieces,” Gio grimaced.
“Yes, and again, that was due to Marco, who doesn’t play well with others. My father remains where he is until I speak to my sister. You will ensure he is cared for until I am ready to face him again. Is that clear?”
“As you wish, and in the meantime?”
“You need to make another call,” I said to Gio.
I had a few ideas about where Bourne could be keeping my sister. It would take a considerable amount of time to check each location. I would wait to speak with him and hope he agrees with my proposal. I poured another finger of scotch and sat at my mother’s piano. I tapped a few keys until I remembered a melody she used to play for us. My fingers glided across the keys until I finished playing the piece. My eyes filled with tears, remembering how beautiful she was. I took her for granted and was blinded by my father. My mother is dead, and my father killed her. My sister is gone, and all that’s left are haunted memories.
“Gio, put my father in the basement and chain his duplicitous and lying ass to the wall.”
“And? What of me?”
“I may have wanted to remove your limbs piece by piece when I believed you failed me and allowed Sabina to run away, but the truth is, I don’t believe anyone could have stopped my sister. She begged me not to bring her home, and I wouldn’t listen because no one ever dared to challenge me. I underestimated my sister and her trauma under this roof, but no more. Marco has inflicted a great deal of incomprehensible damage on all of us, and I didn’t see it or even want to believe it.”
“Lucas! You can’t do this to me!” he must have shouted for hours after I got off the phone with Bourne, leading me to discover his ultimate secrets and betrayals.
“Sir,” I looked up to see Gio. I was hunched over my mother’s piano after I emptied the scotch decanter and passed out. My stomach rolled with nausea, and as soon as I tried to sit up, I reached for the wastebasket, throwing up all the alcohol I had ingested.
“Fuck my life!” I said and wiped my mouth with my sleeve. I needed a shower, not that it would help wash away my guilt. Did you get through to Bourne?”
“To Edric, he tells me Bourne is unavailable but will pass along your message.” I sighed in defeat and had no choice but to wait for Bourne to call me back.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sabina
“Why am I so hot?”I questioned silently and then knew why. I rolled my eyes to the left and saw him sound asleep. I’m guessing this is rare for a man like Bourne Atwater, who is usually intense and probably doesn’t require a lot of sleep. Instead, he looks younger and more relaxed. He may feel heavy lying on me, but my heart is no longer carrying all my past burdens; he’s free, too.
I moved a little to my right without disturbing Bourne, a miracle since I felt him touching me throughout the night. I didn’t mind it because it comforted me knowing he was close, and I felt safe. I don’t know how I accomplished it, but I was off the bed with Bourne still asleep. I was naked without a stitch of clothing on. Another first I got to experience with Bourne. At first, I might have been shy to show Bourne all of me since I’d never shown anyone any intimate part of my body. I was sheltered while living in my father’s house, and even moreso when I was at school with the constant monitoring never allowing me to date.
I took a quick shower to wash up, then switched to a bath. My muscles were sore, especially between my legs. I was a virgin twenty-four hours ago, and as much as we intended to go slow, that’s not what happened. Before sex, I believed I was in good physical shape, but having sex with Bourne has taken my stamina level to new heights. I’d been in here for a while and was surprised he hadn’t come looking for me yet. I pulled the stopper and indulged in the scented bubbles before the water emptied from the tub. This bathroom is a dream, with heated floors, heated towels, and even a sun lamp built into the ceiling.
The average temperature this time of year is around fifty-eight degrees. I looked it up and experienced it firsthand when Bourne threw me into the water. I picked out jeans and a light sweater to wear today. His home was the only one on this big island; since he was asleep, I might as well take advantage and explore it. He’s kept me inside since my attempted escape, but now things are different between us, and I don’t think he will mind me taking a walk on my own. I stepped out of the bathroom and noticed he was still asleep but had shifted since I left. He was hugging my pillow in place of me. I left him to wake up on his own while I went downstairs wanting a cup of coffee. Anna was busy in the kitchen stirring batter in a large bowl.
“Hi, Anna, good morning,” I greeted her.
“Good afternoon,” she replied, taking me by surprise.
“It’s afternoon? Wow, we slept the entire day away,” she laughed, poured me a cup of coffee, and gestured for me to sit at the kitchen island. “Thank you for this,” I said, sipping the delicious blend.
“I wasn’t sure how you take it. Is it okay?”
“Yes, it’s perfect. I take my coffee black but tend to indulge occasionally for a latte. Anna, have you worked for Bourne for a long time?”
“I have for twenty years. I’ve cared for this family for a long time and have shared in their happy and sad times. In a short time, you’ve turned his frown upside down, and I’ll be the first to thank you for that. It’s not my business as to why you are here, but if my opinion holds any value, I’d like you to stay because I know it’s what he wants, too. I may be old, but I’m not blind. Enjoy your coffee, and I will get back to making tonight’s dinner.”
“Thank you, Anna, and if it's okay, can I hug you?”
