I know Bastian and Rory have never hurt a woman no matter how much they may have deserved it. I know they don't want to now. The consensus is, however, there will probably be no other way around it.
“On the fight side of the evening, we’ll be there. We’re not going to bother hiding ourselves. Matteo will lure Stephano and Rossi and their goons somewhere,” Rory tells us through clenched teeth. A sure tell that he isn’t happy with this plan. “We have to let Matteo and his guys handle them. Or Stephano and the men following him at the very least. Stephano is the one in charge now technically. But like I said, his mother and Verity’s are pulling the strings. Our job is to get you and your sister out.”
“But,” Christian says what we all know is coming.
“But this could get hairy and ugly real fast. Rossi is fixated on Tori and on taking us down. We may not get in and out as smoothly as we want.”
“We need to stay out of the way so that Matteo can assert his position and authority, but Rossi is the wild card. He’s not really part of the syndicate. Technically, he’s part of this one,” Bastian finishes.
"We have our plan in place, but if it comes down to it, Matteo will have to understand."
“We leave tomorrow,” Rory tells us.
I turn to Jax. I’m not as certain about his involvement in all of this. Zoey needs him here. I know she’s still got a few weeks left before her due date, but I also know twins likes to come early. In fact, the day after her party or whatever it was, they had to stop early labor. “Maybe you should sit this out,” I tell him with concern filling my tone.
“Not happening, brother. If you go, I go. Mom and dad are coming to stay with Zoey. She wants me to go with you.”
I shake my head in disagreement. Zoey doesn’t want either of us to go. I know that but if one goes, she wants the other to follow. “And what happens if she goes into labor? What happens if you don’t get back in time? She’s already on bedrest because she’s been trying to go into labor.”
Bastian and Rory both sit at attention. Apparently Jax hasn’t been completely honest with them. “Che cazzo? Sei stupido, cazzo?” Bastian barks. “Non puoi lasciare il suo stronzo.”
Jax turns to face Bastian. “I can if that is what she wants and what Zane needs. This is going to be stressful on her regardless. She thinks it will be less so if I’m with her brother.”
“Maybe you should both stay here,” Rory suggests, worry filling his own voice.
“I’m not letting Tori go without me,” I say, definitively.
Tori turns to me with those brown eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want you to leave Zoey,” she tells me. “She needs you.”
I pull her to me tightly and kiss her forehead. “You need me more.”
“Zane what is this?”Tori ask with a happy giggle.
“This,” I gesture to the pier in front of us, “is where we’re going to fish.”
Her nose scrunches in disgust. “Fish? As in with a pole and a hook?” I can’t help but laugh at her. Her face is scrunched, her brows are furrowed, and her lips are pressed into a thin tight line. “You’re joking right?”
“No, Baby. Not a joke. We’re going to catch a fish. Or try at least.”
“Zane Valen, what in the hell makes you think I want to catch a fish? I can’t believe you’d wake me up before the birds even wake to come catch a fucking fish.”
“Because it will be fun,” I continue to tease. She hasn’t even noticed we don’t have rods or reels. I have no intention of fishing. I know her well enough to know she can kick ass and take names, but fishing would definitelynotbe her thing.
“Zane exactly what is you expect me to do? Because I’m sure as fuck not touching a goddamn fish or baiting a hook or anything.”
“I love your fucking sailor mouth,” I tell her as I walk toward her until she is backed up against the pier then press my mouth to hers. “I didn’t bring you here to fish,” I say against her mouth.
Her hands move up my chest until her arms are around my neck. All is forgiven. “Then why did you bring me here?” she practically moans as I move my mouth down her jaw.
With a smile against her neck, I turn her around. The gasp that escapes those sexy lips is exactly the reward I’m looking for. The sun rising over the water from the pier is an amazing view I had to share with her. Nothing but the water and the sun.
“Oh my God. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful,” she whispers like she’s afraid the sight will vanish if she’s too loud.
“I know I haven’t,” I say into her ear. But I’m not talking about the sun or the water. She doesn’t know that. She doesn’t see where my eyes are. Where they never leave.
“Was the trip worth it?” I ask, pulling her closer to me.
“So worth it.”
