Jagger (Blood Brothers) (5 page)

Her brother, Darren, was her best friend and to hear her father use such a derogatory term toward his own son pissed her off. “His name is Darren and he’s your son. He may not be your ideal of manhood, but he knows more about being a man than you ever will. You can keep your expensive gifts. I don’t want them. And please don’t contact me again until you decide to get over yourself.” Grabbing her purse, she stormed away from the table. As she left, she requested the maître d’ call her father a cab before her dad left and if he insisted on driving, call the police. Regardless of what she felt for the man, he was still her father and she didn’t want him to die doing something foolish. Not to mention, she was hopefully saving the lives of any people on the road who might cross paths with him.

She slid into the beat up economy car she’d had since high school and was annoyed when the engine didn’t start right away. Her car was a long-serving hand-me-down. Her father had bought it used for her mother; then when her brother, Darren, had passed his driving test and received his license, their mom had given it to him. Later, it had become Camryn’s. “Come on, old girl, don’t break down on me now. We made it here from Atlanta. You can drive a half hour more to Mom’s house.” As if by magic, when she turned the key in the ignition again, it started. At least it was one less worry. For the moment.

Camryn was excited about seeing her mom again and thrilled at the prospect of a baby brother or sister. She was even happy at the prospect of seeing Marc, her stepfather—who also happened to be a vampire. He was actually very nice and it was clear he was crazy about her mother which is what counted most. She was still trying to adjust to the fact that her mother was now also a bloodsucker. It was difficult to believe there were beings in existence she’d been conditioned to not believe in. So far, the Grimaldi family had been nothing but kind to her but she was still wary of them mainly because she was still coming to terms with the existence of vampires and their ilk. She was almost certain none of them would hurt her but many years of monster movies and books still rested in the back of her mind. And then there was Jagger.

She still chided herself for allowing him to seduce her that day he’d come to visit her in Atlanta. She should have told him to leave her alone but instead, she’d invited him into her apartment and let him do things to her she hadn’t allowed any other man to do. She still wasn’t one hundred percent convinced he hadn’t put a spell on her of some sort. Why else would she act so wantonly once he touched her? She’d never experienced an orgasm so explosive either and it frightened and excited her at the same time.

Admittedly, Camryn was more attracted to him than she wanted to be but Jagger was a dangerous man. It was because she was so attracted him that she needed to stay away. She had goals in life to be her own woman and maintain her independence. A man like Jagger could easily make her forget those dreams. She wasn’t interested in a relationship with him or any man.

Up until the moment Jagger ate her pussy and made her scream until her throat was raw, Camryn hadn’t seen the big deal about sex. The couple of boyfriends she’d had were nothing to write home about. She’d given the last guy she dated her virginity, but the sex was pretty awful. Her partner had claimed he knew what he was doing but in the end, he had left her frustrated and wondering what the big deal was. Although it should have, it didn’t bother her in the least when he’d dumped her shortly after their awkward encounter in the bedroom.

Since then, Camryn had declined dates preferring the company of her vibrator if she felt the need to get off. She’d developed the reputation of being an ice queen on campus which unfortunately was a challenge to a bunch of dickheads who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Often, Camryn would look at happy couples holding hands and laughing together and cynically think it wouldn’t last. She’d learned a long time ago from watching her parents that she was better off without a man in her life; at least not one who would dominate and control her. If she ever did settle down, when she was much older and simply in need of companionship, it would be with a guy who wouldn’t try to change her in the name of love.

Camryn didn’t care for men who came on too strong, and in their very first meeting, Jagger’s intense amber gaze had stamped her with stark possessiveness. At first, she hadn’t known how to react, because no one had ever dared to look at her that way before, like she belonged exclusively to him. Like he wanted to consume her soul. And the crazy part was, she wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing. Of course once she came to her senses, she realized how ridiculous a notion that was and immediately cast that thought aside.

Jagger was the kind of man who would expect complete servitude from his woman. He’d rule and dominate her until she was no longer herself. She didn’t want to be the shell of a woman her mother had been when her parents were still together.

The thought of spending the next two weeks with her mother brought to mind another dilemma. She’d been told the rest of the Grimaldi clan would also be in residence, waiting for arrival of the baby. That meant he would be there as well. She had no idea how she could avoid him and not look at him and remember his head between her thighs and how he had occupied her dreams.

She somehow had to be strong in the days to come and focus on her mother and the new baby. If he walked into a room, she’d walk out and she’d make sure she was never alone with him. Maybe if he hadn’t come to Atlanta, she could have played nice and pretended everything was okay, but he’d ruined it.

The blaring honk of a car horn brought her back to reality. Camryn realized her car had drifted to the center of the road, straddling two lanes. She immediately maneuvered the vehicle to one side and shot an apologetic hand in the air for the driver behind her. Just one more exit to her mother’s house.

She whispered a silent prayer that she would make it past this visit without another encounter like the last with Jagger Grimaldi. The biggest problem was part of her wasn’t sure if she wanted him to leave her alone.

Chapter Five

“Maggie, have a seat and put your feet up. Camryn should be here shortly; she called to say she’d come as soon as the dinner with her father ends.”

Maggie looked out the window for the tenth time that night. No matter how old they got, she always worried about her children. “I know, but it makes me nervous to know she’s still driving around in that lemon. That thing is only holding on by a hope and a prayer. Hopefully, she’ll make it here without breaking down.”

“If she managed to drive from Atlanta to Virginia, I’m sure she’ll make the next twenty miles of her trip.”

Maggie sighed. Her husband was probably right, but her concerns would not be allayed until her daughter actually walked through the door safe and sound. “I wish she hadn’t refused our offer to buy her a new car. I think I’m going to have to insist when she gets here.”

GianMarco stood behind Maggie, wrapping his large, sinewy arms around her waist, his hands cupping the considerable bulge of her stomach. They were expecting their first child together any day now, and Maggie couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier except for the birth of her two older children.

Her husband grazed her ear with his tongue, causing a shiver to run through her body. She leaned against his solid frame, reveling in the warmth of his body cradling hers. She’d never felt so protected and loved in her life until she met this gorgeous hunk who was now her husband. There was no feeling like knowing the love you gave was returned with equal intensity. Maggie was so in love with this man that she sometimes feared she’d wake up and this would all be a dream.

“Camryn is a very independent young woman. She probably gets that stubborn streak from her mother.”

Maggie twisted around to face him, staring into his eyes. It was still hard to believe this man belonged to her and she to him. In a million years, she couldn’t have guessed when her marriage of twenty-three years ended abruptly that she’d land on her feet like this.

Left with practically nothing, her self-esteem at its lowest, Maggie had found herself starting over again at the age of forty. After weeks of searching for employment, she’d been extremely fortunate to land a job as a secretary for a detective agency. Little had Maggie known, however, that her obnoxious but sexy boss was a vampire. She and GianMarco had gotten off to a rocky start, avoiding each other whenever it was possible while denying the underlying attraction that existed between them. Once they both stopped fighting their feelings for one another, there had been no turning back. Now, she had to constantly pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming because every morning she woke with a smile on her face and went to bed wrapped in a pair of muscular arms.

Since she and GianMarco had married, two of her brothers-in-law had also found mates. She hoped the same could happen for Dante, the eldest Grimaldi brother. Maggie wanted him to find the same happiness she shared with GianMarco. Thinking about Dante made her slightly uncomfortable, because she felt responsible for the rift between him and GianMarco. Dante had somehow gotten it into his head that he had feelings for her which had caused a great deal of friction between the brothers. She could tell that this discord hurt GianMarco and she wished for the relationship to be repaired.

She placed her head against GianMarco’s broad chest. “Do you think...”

“Do I think Dante will come?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She hadn’t been a vampire for quite a year, so she was still getting used to the nuances of their kind. Mind reading was one of their talents she had yet to grow accustomed to.

“He said he’d come, but I haven’t heard from him since our last conversation. The last I heard from him was a couple weeks ago—”

“That’s the longest the two of you have gone without speaking to each other isn’t it?” she asked gently.

GianMarco nodded. The pain was evident in his amber gaze. She cupped the side of his face with her hand. “This is all my fault.”

He grasped her hand and brought it to lips. “Don’t ever think that. I’ve already told you, you’re not to blame. This is something that will sort itself out. Right now, he just needs a little time away from the family to get his head together. He’s been in Greece for the past couple weeks, spending time with Paris Kyriakis and his family.”

“I think you might have mentioned the Kyriakis family before. Are they the werewolves?”

GianMarco chuckled. “Yes, but don’t ever let them hear you call them werewolves. It’s kind of an offensive term to them. Shifters is what they prefer to be called. Paris is the Alpha of Pack Kyriakis. He and Dante have been close friends for years. Apparently, there was some kind family crisis with Paris’s son and Dante was giving them a hand.”

“Oh no, is he in any danger?”

“I don’t think so. He would tell me if that were the case. Dante may miss the actual birth, but I’m confident he’ll come back soon. Don’t worry about it,
ciccina
, you are not to blame.”

Maggie wanted to believe him but that twinge of guilt still remained. But she decided it was best that she not bring it back up. With a sigh, she rested her head against his chest, enjoying it being just the two of them. In a very short time, the house would be a circus of activity.

GianMarco must have felt the same way because he held her tightly against him. “Let’s enjoy this quiet for a moment because the family should descend on us tomorrow.”

“Oh!” Maggie smacked her forehead.

“What is it?” GianMarco’s dark brows furrowed together.

“Sasha called earlier and said she, Niccolo, and Jagger would be here tonight.”

“And Camryn is on the way?”

“Yes.” Camryn had let slip to Maggie about her meeting with Jagger when she had last visited. But even if her daughter hadn’t mentioned the encounter, it was clear Jagger was smitten with her. And it was just as evident that Camryn wasn’t comfortable with the attention. From Maggie’s observation, Camryn was more interested than she was willing to let on but it was a conclusion Camryn needed to come to herself. “Do you think there will be a problem with Camryn and Jagger under the same roof?”

“I don’t know,
ciccina
. It should certainly be interesting, but I think there will be plenty of people in the house to keep each of them occupied. Romeo, Christine, and their children will be arriving tomorrow morning.”

“It’s so funny to think of Romeo as a family man now. I always thought he’d remain a bachelor forever. Now, he not only has a wife but two children.” Maggie giggled.

“You’re telling me. I’ve known him for much longer than you and trust me, I never saw it coming either but Christine and the kids make him happy so I’m happy for him.”

“Me too. I’m glad they’ve decided to take up residence in this area. There are a lot of houses for sale around here; it will be so much fun house shopping with Christine. Our baby could use some little playmates.”

GianMarco smiled indulgently before dropping a kiss on her forehead.

A rush of white pain ripped through her lower body. She doubled over. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone. Maybe she’d imagined it.

“Maggie, are you okay?”

She didn’t want to alarm her husband, so she answered in the affirmative. “I’m fine. I just get a little winded sometimes is all.”

He looked unconvinced. “If you’re sure…”

She straightened up and pinned a smile on her face. “I am. I guess I’m just anxious to see Camryn.”

“She’ll be here soon. In the meantime, I have an idea how to take your mind off of things.”

She raised a brow, liking where this was going. “Does it have anything to do with making love?”

A large lopsided grin split his face. “You know me so well.”

At that moment something happened to cancel any chances of them making it to the bed. “I would love to, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

He knitted his brows. “Why not? You’ve never been one to turn down our lovemaking.”

“And you know I enjoy it immensely, but my water just broke.”