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29 - Rylan.
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2024-11-15 22:36:00Related chapters
HIS 30 - Rylan.
After we hang up, I toss Solana's phone on the bed and rake my fingers through my disheveled hair again. I wonder if Trish told Solana about her father's order? Guess there's only one way to find out. Turning on my heel, I head back down to the kitchen where I left Solana on my phone with her sister.Solana is still sitting at the small table and she's no longer talking to Trish. Instead, she's slowly and thoughtfully spinning my cell phone in a circle. She looks lost in thought and my heart goes out to her. I wish there was some way that I could make her feel better."Are you okay?" I ask, voice gruff.Her hazel gaze lifts to meet mine. "I don't know," she answers. "Are we?""We?" I ask, confused by her answer. I'm expecting her to be upset about her father's order to kill us on sight. But it sounds like she's second-guessing our relationship and that pisses me off.She huffs out a frustrated sigh. "Yes, Rylan, we. After everything that's happened..." Her voice trails off and a frown
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 31 - Solana.
By the time security arrives to escort us to the Mennetti compound, Rylan and I haven't exchanged more than a few words. The drive out to the country is miserable and I can't help but think our lack of communication is a portent of things to come.Or, in this case, not to come.It suddenly and overwhelmingly feels like our possibility for a future, a real relationship outside of this, is doomed. Over before it ever truly began.Especially when Rylan turns to me and murmurs, "I think it's best you stay with Trish."My chest tightens and I bite my lip to keep from crying. I don't know how we fell apart so fast. I suppose it was nearly as quickly as we came together. My voice is caught in my throat, knotted by emotion, so I merely nod.By the time we pull through the estate's large gates, head up the long driveway and park in front of a smaller house, off the side of the main house, my heart is slowly crumbling and doubt plagues me. I feel physically ill.Trish rushes out and I throw the
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 32 - Solana.
Two bites into the lasagna, I set my fork down with a clatter and Trish and Connor both look over at me."I'm sorry," I say."Is something wrong with your dinner?" Trish asks worriedly, and I wave her question away."It's delicious. That's not the problem." I take a moment to look between my sister and her husband. "How did you make it work? I mean, with the entire world rooting for you to fail, how did you two make a successful and loving marriage?""It wasn't easy," Connor states. "The odds were definitely stacked against us.""But that didn't matter," Trish adds. "Because it's true when they say love conquers all."I frown. "That's just a platitude. It takes more than love.""You always believed in happy endings," Trish says, voice said. "Now you sound so jaded.""Love is key, but you're right," Connor says carefully and takes Trish's hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "It takes communication, forgiveness, understanding and a lot of hard work. There are times you have to compro
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 33 - Solana.
His words make me squeeze my eyes shut and I feel bile rise up the back of my throat. Sick to my stomach, I turn and throw up in the lilac bushes. Once I'm done heaving, I wipe my mouth and set my mug down with a hand that shakes.He's done with me and he doesn't even have the balls to tell me. Heart crumbling in my chest, I stumble back to Connor and Trish's house, blinded by tears. I've never felt so used or devastated in my entire life. Here I was trying to figure out how to talk to him and he's completely washed his hands of me.Pulling the door open, I rush up to my room, throw myself on my bed and sob until I have no more tears left. I'm not sure how long I'm lying here and, at some point, there's a soft knock on the door."Lana?" It's Trish. "Can I come in?"I'm on my back, staring blankly up at the ceiling, all cried out. I've never felt so emotionally drained. It's to the point where I felt sick most of the afternoon and even threw up again."Sure," I say so softly, I'm not s
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 34 - Rylan.
Every day that passes leaves me doubting my decision about not seeing Solana more and more. But everyone keeps telling me to give her space and let her be. Give her room to breathe. And, considering I have no idea how to handle the situation, I listen to my family and Trish.Except after talking to Roberto, I realize I'm fooling myself. I was trying to sound tough and unemotional, like I knew what I was doing and that I had things under control. Because that's how my older brothers always act.But I miss her desperately. And though I know I should let her go and that I've done enough damage, the urge to see her has me tied up in knots.As I'm debating whether or not to sneak over to Connor's and find her, it occurs to me that she may still need space. After all, she's not exactly knocking my door down. From what I've heard from Connor and Trish, Solana needs time to herself to figure things out.In other words, she's still mad at me.But she hasn't left and I'm taking that as a good s
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 35 - Rylan.
"Earth to Rylan!" Connor snaps and my head jerks up. "Can you repeat one thing I said in the past half hour?"I slide my hands through my too-long hair and apologize. "Sorry. I'm having trouble focusing.""No shit," Roberto supplies. "Mind on a certain dark-haired pixie?"My eyes narrow and I don't like that he calls her that. I've always allowed my older brothers to get away with shit and they used to boss me around all the time while we were growing up, but they better not say anything about Solana. "She's mine," I growl."Okay, chill." Roberto lifts his hands, as though backing off, and he and Connor exchange a look. Damn twins. They don't ever have to say a word because they're so in tune with each other and always know what the other one is thinking. It gets annoying.Connor closes his folder and pushes it aside. "Okay, Ry, relax. No one is after your woman.""She's not my woman!" I snarl, way too forcefully. Again, they exchange a look with each other then study me closely. With
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 36 - Rylan.
The next couple of hours drag by at a snail's pace and by the time seven o'clock rolls around, I'm a bundle of nerves. I walk over to the main house early and meet my mom in the kitchen where she and my younger sister Finley are cooking up an Irish feast."Don't be nervous, Ry," Finley says. "We'll help you win Solana back.""What do you know about it?" I ask, taken by complete surprise that my sister is aware of the situation with Solana. God, I live with a bunch of gossips."Just that you messed up and Solana has been crying in the garden almost every morning."Shock hits me hard. I had no idea. "She has?" How did I not know this? Why the hell didn't anyone tell me? "I haven't seen her in the garden and I walk through all the time.""Because she hides behind the lilac bushes, dear," my mom says as she pulls a pan of potatoes out of the oven. Maeve Mennetti always seems to be in tune with her surroundings and always knows what's going on with all of her children.I frown. "How did I
Last Updated : 2024-11-15HIS 37 - Solana.
Something isn't right.I know my body very well and it doesn't feel right. I've felt off all week and all I can think about is all of the unprotected sex that Rylan and I had. Maybe he assumed I was on birth control, but I'm not.And now my period, which arrives like clockwork, is officially late. Three days, to be exact, and that's never happened to me before. My cycle is exactly 28 days and it doesn't waver.Shit.I should've been more vocal about him using a condom. But there's no point in beating myself up over it now. Passion and inexperience drove me and now I feel sick to my stomach. Literally.After hurling again this morning, panic set in because deep down, I know the truth.I'm pregnant.The thought scares the crap out of me, but my cycle never alters and I never throw up. Not since I was 5-years-old and had the flu. I'm healthy as a horse and I don't get sick, other than the occasional sniffle, so I know when something is wrong.And right now, something is very wrong.After
Last Updated : 2024-11-15
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HIS 51 - Finley.
"Welcome to the family, Luca. Officially," Connor adds, his champagne flute extended, and we all chuckle. The toast makes my heart happy because for the first time, what's happening between our families is genuine.Looking down the table, I take a moment to soak in what I see—endless smiling faces and a fierce love that brings tears to my eyes. Except for Matthias, Anna and Giovanni, everyone is here and it's amazing.We're at the hotel, celebrating in the attached restaurant. My brothers sit with their wives and my two nephews are being held by their glowing mothers. Trish and Connor are incredible parents and I hope to follow in their footsteps one day. Same with Solana and Rylan who is healing up quite nicely and being fussed over constantly by his adoring wife. Roberto and Adeline will be having their own little one soon enough and the way he looks at her makes my heart tumble.My mother sits beside Harrison Shepherd who's been welcomed into our dysfunctional chaos with open arms.
HIS 50 - Luca.
The intensity of her sucking increases and even though I'm trying to be good and not blow, it's getting damn hard. "Fuck, Finley," I swear. It's all too much and the moment she hums and those little vibrations skate up my aching length, I grab her shoulders and pull her up."I wasn't done," she says with a frown.Fighting for control, a muscle flexes in my jaw as I turn her toward the tub and help her step inside. "I want to come inside that sweet pussy, baby girl. And you're going to take my cock deep inside you and ride it hard. Can you do that for me?"She licks her lips in answer and I nearly blow my wad.Lowering myself into the tub, I guide Finley down to straddle me, and rest my arms along the porcelain edges. She takes a moment to get situated then shifts forward, spreading her legs wider. I drop a hand into the warm water, grasp my throbbing cock and push at her entrance. "Take it all," I encourage her. "Every last inch."With a soft moan, Finley starts to sink down, her body
HIS 49 - Luca.
After losing the assholes enforcers, the drive back to the city is uneventful. And that's fine by me. I've had enough adventure to last a lifetime. From this point forward, all I want is to focus all of my attention on Finley and make her the happiest woman in the world. I know I have some more apologizing to do, but right now, I just want to make it up to her.And my plan is to start with multiple orgasms. Butter her up a little first then pour my heart out and beg for her forgiveness. Hopefully, it's a good plan.I've lost what little faith and trust I had in Matthias, so I tell Roberto to drop us off at the hotel where their mother is staying."But I want to stay with you," Finley murmurs softly. She's curled up on my lap and my mouth edges up."You will. Don't worry, I'm not letting you out of my sight. I just don't want to go back to the apartment my father gave us. I'll never trust him again and we'll get our own place soon, tesoro."When Roberto finally pulls the Jeep up to the
HIS 48 - Finley.
My knees give out and I drop down to the rooftop patio, shaking so hard. The sound of pounding boots fills the air and I immediately tense—until I see Luca. He sweeps out onto the terrace, pulls me up and I sag against him."Thank Christ," he murmurs, pressing a string of kisses against my temple. "C'mon, we need to go."We lace fingers and jog back through the storage room then down the three flights of steps."How did you get away? Where are my brothers? Rylan? Is he okay?" I manage to ask."We overpowered some enforcer scum," he tells me. "Rylan was grazed by a bullet, but he's okay, and your brothers are loading him up into the Jeep right now.""I-I killed him," I murmur, still feeling a little shell-shocked."Don't think about it," he says, sliding an arm around my shoulders and holding me close. "You did what you had to do."I send up a little prayer that Desmond's twisted body is lying on the side driveway and not here in the front because I don't ever want to see it again. Luc
HIS 47 - Finley.
Luca seems to be on the same page. "Do you really think you can get away with this?" he asks. "Matthias is coming for you and there isn't a soul more ruthless than him. He won't rest until you're no longer a threat.""He's right," I add. "Matthias will fight you until his last breath.""You think I'm scared of Matthias?" Desmond scoffs. "After I take care of you, he's next. I've already hired the hitman to take him out."Luca and I exchange a quick look. Is he telling the truth? I have no idea, but it's definitely possible. We need to get away from Desmond, but how? Suddenly, two huge enforcers appear and Desmond motions to us."Grab them," he orders.My heart sinks as I'm yanked away from Luca and the enforcer forces me to walk toward the house. I have no idea what Desmond is planning, but I'm really starting to worry about my brothers. Where are they?I find out the answer as soon as we enter the house. Connor and Roberto are each sitting in a chair, tied up, and it looks like they
HIS 46 - Finley.
My eyes snap open and I carefully move my arms and legs. All good, no breaks. I have no idea how I'm still in one piece and all I can do is thank my lucky stars. Then I call out for Luca."Luca..." Turning onto my side, I look for him, but my eyes are still trying to focus after being knocked silly. Coughing from the smoke, I struggle to pull myself up into a sitting position, squinting through the thick billows of ash and black clouds. Finally, I spot Luca a hundred or so feet away from me.He's lying on the grass and not moving."Oh, God, no." Is he hurt? Or worse? Heart in my throat, stomach dropping in dread, I pull myself to my feet and stumble over to him. Falling down beside him, I lay my hands on his chest and lean down. "Luca?"When he doesn't respond, everything in me sinks hard and fast. Panic sets in and my fingers curl, grabbing hold of his shirt and shaking. "Luca!" I hiss.This can't be happening. He came to rescue me, told me he loved me and would never leave me...and
HIS 45 - Finley.
"We have a big fucking problem!" Luca snaps into his comms unit. "Stay away from here. Desmond has the barn rigged with explosives and I need to get Finley untied! Stall him!"My heart plunges. Connor and Roberto abruptly stop walking after Luca warns them that they're heading straight into a trap. Which, of course, is going to let Desmond know that something is up. But, thank God, Connor seems to play it off smoothly as he reengages Desmond in conversation.But, I know my brothers will only be able to stall for so long before Desmond realizes something is going on. He's too damn smart and ruthless.Luca stays low, working frantically on my bindings and I'm twisting, pulling and turning until my scraped wrists start bleeding."Fuck!" Luca glances up and I see fear and worry flash through his molasses eyes. Connor and Roberto have turned back around and continue talking to Desmond again, still stalling, and I don't see Rylan anywhere.Suddenly, chaos erupts up by the house and we look
HIS 44 - Luca.
By the time we get to the compound, I'm on the edge of my seat and ready to get this done. I want my woman back in my arms where she belongs and I'll do anything to make it happen.Roberto drives around to the rear of the property and lets me and Rylan out. We're splitting up so we can keep an eye on things better. I slide the tiny communications unit into my ear and we test them quickly. Everything appears to be in working order and Roberto gives us a salute."Stay in touch," Connor says."Roger that," Rylan responds and I give a sharp nod.The Jeep drives away and Connor and Roberto head to the front gate. The plan is for them to meet up with Desmond while Ry and I will stay under the radar, keeping a close eye on things. If Desmond deviates from the plan or tries to be sneaky in any way, we'll be ready."Ready?" Rylan asks."Let's do this."We move through the woods and sneak onto the property. From here, the plan is to split up and move to opposite sides of the large rear yard."S
HIS 43 - Luca.
Sweeping around the corner, our plan foremost in my brain, we walk straight into two enforcers and immediately jump them. They aren't expecting us and we use the element of surprise to our advantage. It's four against two and, even though the guys are big, they don't expect us to come flying out of the blackness and attack like wraiths.Roberto and Rylan quickly overpower the guard on the left while Connor and I take down the burly guy on the right. I tackle him at the knees and he drops hard while Connor slugs him with a fist to the face. We work well together and I pop up, lift my gun and slam it down against the base of the enforcer's skull. He drops like a brick and Connor gives me a nod.Glancing over, I see Roberto just finished doing the same thing.Once the guards are taken care of, or at least momentarily out of the picture, I stalk over to the cell and see Sean Flannigan cowering in there like the weasel he is and always will be. Looking down, I see the cell door is locked.
