Phoenix seemed to think about this then shrugged. “I’ll force the professors to go on strike tomorrow, easy, they’ll have miraculously recovered by Friday. Anything else?”
“You can do that?” El gasped.
Phoenix snorted, a small smile played at his lips. “Sweetheart, I can do whatever the hell I want.”
“Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Tex poked his head back in. “And since I was eavesdropping, this means I get to help, right? It’s been too long since I’ve shot something.”
“It was yesterday.” Phoenix stated slowly. “But yes, you can help.”
I was uneasy about the entire thing. And maybe a little nervous not having anything else occupying my mind but El. Shit what if after being with just me, and not needing me for protection or my gun — what if she hated what she saw?
“I don’t know, Phoenix.”
“You’ll go.” His eyes flashed and then softened. “Shit, you’re going to make me say it, fine I’ll say it. You take that day together because I can’t promise you more, all right? I can’t control everyone and everything, and while I know something big is coming this weekend, none of us knows how big. So you’re going to take that fucking day, and you’re going to enjoy it, because it may be your last. Got it?”
I jerked the envelope back. “Got it.”
El let out a shaky breath.
“Sorry,” Phoenix grumbled. “I’ve been working on my bed side manner.”
“It shows,” I lied.
He snorted out a laugh. “Yeah right. Go, enjoy, and take full advantage. Oh and, take his.”
“His?” I repeated.
“Your dad’s Rolls Royce, drove it over earlier, take it.”
My jaw dropped.
El squeezed my hand tighter.
“There’s no bombs in it right?”
“Course not,” Phoenix rolled his eyes. “Checked it myself.”
“That’s not exactly comforting.”
“Go,” he said again.
This time I listened.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
El
I’D NEVER SEEN a more beautiful car in my entire life. It had a little Just Married sign on the back of it.
I’d taken ten minutes to pack a bag.
And in that ten minutes, the poor car had been decorated, it had cans hanging off the end of it, and enough ribbon to make someone like Dante probably want to commit a violent act toward someone or something.
I’d been married twice in my life.
The first time, I was drugged so I’d say yes.
I was raped by my own husband.
Beat.
Humiliated.
But this time? This time, I’d said yes with a clear head, I’d kissed my husband because I wanted to.
I didn’t need a fancy dress.
I just needed him.
Tears filled my eyes as the wives all gathered around the car and shrieked with excitement like it was the best day of their lives.
“EL!” Trace yelled then charged toward me while Mo took my duffel bag, unzipped it and shoved a few small boxes inside. “Wear the red one.”
“No!” Mo stood. “Wear the black.”
“Why does it matter?” I asked.
“We made bets.” Bee shrugged like it was normal, is that all this family did? Just bet on my relationship with Dante down to the color of, I opened up one of the boxes and flushed. Lingerie. On the color of lingerie. Great.
I’d never worn anything so transparent.
What if Dante hated it?
What if he didn’t want to touch me?
His hand was forced, even though he said he cared — did that mean that this fantasy between us — this pull would end?
I didn’t have time to think more about it before I was scooped up by Tex and placed in the car. “Welcome to the family.” He kissed my right cheek. Frank followed, Nixon, Chase, and finally Phoenix. He shut the door behind him.
I tried to calm my nerves when Dante got in on his side.
And failed.
He had no right to look so calm.
So untouchable.
Gorgeous.
“You ready?” He was looking at everything but me.
My heart sank. “Yeah, I guess, sure, yeah.”
His lips twitched. “That was a hell of a lot of yeahs, El.”
“Ignore me. It’s been a long day.” I reached for his hand.
He took it and squeezed.
Someone slammed the hood of the car.
I jumped a foot as Tex gave Dante a middle finger salute.
Dante hit the accelerator and pulled down the driveway.
“So, what was in the envelope?”
“Keys.” His jaw flexed. “An address, and…” He gulped. “And my mom’s diary.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Dante
MY SLUGGISH BRAIN wasn’t processing anything past the fact that I was driving a car my dad had once driven.
How often had he touched this steering wheel?
Did he have someone drive him?
What the hell kind of secrets was Phoenix keeping from me, if he had my father’s car this entire time and just randomly slaps me in the face with it.
All those things ran through my mind right along with the fact that El hadn’t stopped shaking since the minute she sat inside it.
My mood probably wasn’t helping matters. I was torn between wanting to pull over and kiss the hell out of her — or just getting an accident and doing it while driving.
It was making me insane.
Knowing she was mine, and not getting to taste her again and again and again.
I muttered a curse under my breath as I waved through the thick Chicago traffic, only to find myself completely outside the city.
Frowning, I followed the directions on my phone.
And pulled down a little dirt road.
“Are you sure this is right?” El asked.
I shrugged. “I honestly have no clue, but,” I reached for my gun with my left hand and kept driving. “Just in case.”
Her eyes darted between the gun and my face. I could feel her watching my reactions to everything I was seeing.
“I’ll keep you safe,” I promised.
“I know.” She said it quickly with confidence I probably didn’t deserve, then again she’d seen me in action she knew how quickly I drew blood without thinking twice about it.
I wonder if that made her feel better or worse.
The dirt road seemed to go on forever.
Until it finally made a small circle and brought us in front of a looming ranch house.
Something about it felt familiar, but I had no idea why.
It had a wraparound porch and looked like something you’d see in Wyoming or Montana or— I looked at the address again, the slip of paper Phoenix had given me, and turned it over.
Nothing.
Unsure if someone lived there or if we were about to get shot at, I pulled to my phone and called Phoenix, putting him on speakerphone, “I take it you made it to the house?” His tone was amused.
“Right, what exactly is this house?”
“It’s a house.”
“Yup, got that,” I snapped, God maybe he was right, maybe I did need a day. “But why here? Is it some sort of safe house?”
“It’s completely off grid,” Phoenix explained. “That’s how your father wanted it,” He hesitated. “When he built it for your mother.”
“Come again?” I rasped.