13. Tiberius

13

TIBERIUS

Nothing would give me more pleasure than to place my hands around Veronica Rossi’s neck and squeeze the very life out of her. She is a lethal and conniving bitch. I wouldn’t be in this damn predicament if I didn’t want to stay on her father’s good side. For now, at least.

It felt good to hear Kinsley defend me, but Veronica won’t take too kindly to it and will get her back. I know the woman too well.

“You are really taking this thing with your niece too far, Beckett.”

“Kinsley is family. I won’t tell you again. Do not fuck with her, because if you do, I will take it as a personal affront,” I say.

Veronica hears me now and doesn’t like my words. Well, tough shit. That’s how I fucking feel. Kinsley will always be top priority to me. The girl is under my skin, which is why I blew off hours of paperwork to spend time with her. And look how that turned out. I’m more pissed than usual because the woman has fucked up my time with Kinsley.

I rub at my chest as my mind wanders back to the car when I told her what my mother had done. It still hurts after all these years. At the look on Kinsley’s face when I made that confession, I wanted to pull her across the divide and into my arms.

Things are becoming complicated, and I’m distracted when I can’t afford to be. I shouldn’t be distracted by a seventeen-year-old, anyway. She’ll be eighteen in a week. Legal.

Kinsley comes into view down on the dock, and I watch as the wind rustles her hair. She is so fucking gorgeous that I find myself more on edge than I should be. Normally, nothing gets to me. I do it all without emotion. Kinsley is different and she’s in my heart, which makes me deadly to her enemy.

Cannon Edge is not a man I ever want Kinsley to meet. I’ve seen his basement. I’ve seen his cruelty. He is far worse than his father ever was, and that is saying a lot. Cannon Edge is an evil bastard, and I know he would torture the fuck out of her for fun.

“I think I will head down to the dock too. The water looks nice and fresh.” Veronica stands. “Join me.” Her eyes stray to Kinsley before she holds my gaze. The woman is not stupid. She also doesn’t know the truth about Kinsley’s parentage, or does she?

I stroll behind Veronica with my hands in my pockets, debating what to do about her. Her father wanted to pass her off onto me. He knew I wouldn’t be able to say no because I wanted to stay in his favor. It has become more of an issue than it was when I agreed to it.

My eyes narrow as Veronica picks up her stride as we reach the dock. She heads straight for Kinsley, who has her back to us. In the next breath, Kinsley flaps her arms and splashes into the lake. I run to the end and jump in after her. I wrap an arm around her waist to keep her afloat. My anger is ready to boil over.

Kinsley clings to me as I move us toward the dock. Salem leans down and grabs Kinsley from me, hauling her up onto dry land. I pull myself out and focus on Veronica. Her face looks panicked, and so it should.

“You bitch!” I shout.

“Um, boss. I think you need to calm down.” Salem knows everything about why I put up with Veronica.

I ignore him as I prowl toward the woman. “You pushed her in.”

“I patted her on the back. It’s not my fault she lost her balance.”

“I saw exactly what you did. You pushed Kinsley into the lake when she can’t fucking swim,” I shout the last words and watch Veronica bristle.

Fuck this!

I grab the woman by her arms and toss her into the lake. She surfaces, splashing and screaming about the cost of her outfit.

I turn my back on her and address Salem. “Shove that bitch back in her car and tell her driver never to bring her here again.” My friend’s mouth hangs open.

The blanket he grabbed from the equipment box and wrapped around Kinsley is falling loose, so I grab hold and make sure she’s wrapped warmly. Tears fall from her eyes. I swallow hard and wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“Can you walk?” I ask her.

“Yes.”

We walk up to the house, where Kinsley’s movements slow as her body begins to tremble. I pick her up and settle her against my chest.

“I’ll find something warm for you to change into, then I will take you home.” I kiss her on the forehead as I carry her up to my room.

I leave her in the middle of my bedroom and enter the bathroom. I quickly peel myself out of my soaked clothes and wrap a large towel around my hips. I grab another towel and take it to Kinsley.

“Can you get your clothes off while I find us something to wear?”

She nods and unzips her sweater. I turn away and find us both sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

When I return to her side, she’s wrapped in the towel. She looks shy and awkward as her eyes keep straying to the towel around my hips. I’m tempted to peel it away, but I behave, even with my dick reacting.

I tip her face up to mine. “Hold the towel in place and step into the sweats, okay? I’ll help you.” Fluffing the sweatpants out, I move in behind her. “Step in.”

To my surprise, she tosses the towel away. Her naked ass is in my face, and my mouth waters, wanting to take a bite.

I clear my throat. “Step into the pants, Kinsley. I’m quickly losing my calm with you naked before me.”

She does what I ask, but responds, “You’re practically naked, Tiberius.”

“I honestly didn’t think about it.” I tug the pants up her legs. She grabs the sweatshirt and quickly pulls it on. I sigh in relief, or is it disappointment?

Striding forward, I give her my back and lose the towel. Her soft gasp does wonders for my ego. I bend and yank up my pants, wincing as I force the waistband to hold my hard cock so it doesn’t bounce around. The sweatshirt covers that shit up.

The blush covering her cheekbones when I turn back to face her is sweet. I don’t comment on it. I change the subject instead. “Veronica is gone. I think we should eat.” I toss her a pair of socks. “I refuse to let her ruin your day completely.”

As she drops her butt to the bed to put on the socks, I spot tears that have started to flow.

“Hey,” I say and tug her into my arms. “You’re safe. Please don’t cry.”

“I thought I was going to drown. I was so scared, Tiberius.”

“I know, sweetheart. Neither me nor Salem would have let that happen.”

She giggles and tips her face upward. “It was funny when you tossed her in the water.”

I smirk. “I’m not sure what she expected.”

“She knows you have to play nice because of her father. She didn’t expect retaliation.”

I wince at the reminder. “Speaking of which, I better give him a call.”

I place my hand on her lower back and lead her downstairs.

As she takes a seat on the patio, I say, “I didn’t miss how you appear to know more than you should about Veronica.” I eye Salem.

Kinsley rolls her eyes. “He didn’t tell me anything. I have eyes and ears. I’m not stupid.”

“I never said you were.”

“Let’s eat, please.”

“Salem,” I say as I take a seat, “can I borrow your phone a moment?”

I keep my eyes on Kinsley once I dial Aldo Rossi’s private line.

“Tell your daughter I hope she learned her lesson today,” I say in greeting.

“How was tossing her into your lake teaching her a lesson?”

“I protect family, Aldo. Just like you do. Kinsley, who cannot swim, is my family. Your daughter pushed her in. I was returning the favor. Perhaps have a word with Veronica about family values. I think she has forgotten them.”

The man growls and hangs up.

Something that I should have spent more time thinking about is Aldo Rossi and his daughter, Veronica. What if they are the ones behind the attempt on Kinsley’s life? Veronica is more unstable than her father. I quickly shoot Saul a message from Salem’s phone. There will be a connection somewhere between the dead shooter and who hired him. We just need to find it.

I glance at the quiet girl and ask, “Are you all right?”

She smiles and takes a huge bite of the cake in her hand, grinning around the food. “I am now.”

I laugh. She is full of surprises after what she has been through.

As we enter the Lake House, I know something is wrong. Jock silently passes me a note, his eyes holding mine. Kinsley frowns and steps close enough for her chest to press against my arm.

Flipping the note open, my heart drops.

Mr. Beckett,

Dinner tonight. 8:00 p.m. sharp. Dress smart.

Aldo Rossi.

“Oh crap,” Kinsley mutters.

“That about sums it up.”

“Do I get to go?”

“Fuck no!” I wince. “I don’t want you in the enemy’s camp, Kinsley. I can’t be worrying about you while I’m there.” I stride upstairs, furious that I don’t have a fucking choice about tonight.

I sense Kinsley on my heels, but I don’t slow down. I slam into my bedroom with Kinsley following behind me. “I’m going to take a shower,” I warn her.

“What’s the summons about?”

“Kinsley, you need to leave.” I toss my sweatshirt into the hamper. “I’m about to get naked.”

In the bathroom, I turn on the shower and curse when I notice Kinsley in the doorway.

Holding her gaze, I drop my sweatpants. She narrows her eyes and gives me her back, but not before I catch her taking a quick peek at my cock.

I grin and tease her. “Scared, Kinsley?”

She shoots me the bird over her shoulder.

I chuckle and climb in under the spray. “You need a shower after being in the lake,” I tell her.

“Is that an invitation?” she responds.

Well, fuck. My cock floods with blood, especially as the image of a very naked and soapy Kinsley comes to mind.

Kinsley clears her throat, and says, “Tell me what’s going on with the bitch’s father.”

“Wait in the bedroom, and we’ll talk.”

She hovers for a moment before leaving and closing the door behind her.

I place my hands on the wall in front of me and drop my head, letting the water sluice over my body.

Looking down at my cock, I find it’s hard as a rock, sticking up toward my naval. The purple crown bulges with need as precum leaks. I glance toward the closed door and soap my erection. I hiss as I wrap one slippery hand around the rigid shaft and squeeze hard.

She’s on the other side of the door!

My balls are so fucking tight as I slowly move my fist up and down. I close my eyes and imagine it’s Kinsley’s wet, tight, virgin cunt.

“Fuck!” I hiss, my hand speeding up.

I tell myself it’s not my hand, that it’s Kinsley’s wetness surrounding me as she bounces atop me.

Fuck! Fuck!

My cock jerks hard, exploding like a fucking rocket as semen shoots out, hitting my pecks until I change my angle and it shoots onto the shower wall. I pump my fist, draining my cock and balls.

“Motherfucker,” I groan.

A gasp makes my eyes snap to the doorway. Kinsley stands there with a gorgeous blush on her cheeks, her eyes riveted to my cock as I gently stroke it. A small amount of cum shoots out.

She licks her lips. “Can I touch you?”

Breathing heavily, I open the shower door as an invitation. “Only with your hands. I don’t trust myself otherwise.” I pause. “Come get me, sweetheart.”

Her fat nipples press against my sweatshirt she’s wearing. She must be fucking aroused if I can see them.

She doesn’t move her eyes from mine until she’s in front of me.

“You’re hard again. I didn’t think that was possible.”

I moan deep, and tell her, “It isn’t usually. My cock has a mind of its own when you’re around. I only need to think about you and I’m rock solid.”

Reaching out slowly, she uses a finger to press around the head. When precum leaks, she runs that fingertip through it. I nearly bust a fucking nut when she puts her digit to her mouth and sucks.

“Kinsley,” I moan.

“I’ve never seen a naked man before.”

“You shouldn’t be seeing one now.”

Her fingers stroke down my dick until her hand cups my balls. Her fingers tickle through my pubic hair as she explores before she returns to my balls. She draws her hand up from root to tip as she licks her lips. That and her sweet innocence undoes me. My cock jerks and kicks as cum shoots out, over Kinsley’s wrist. I wrap my hand around hers on me and tighten our grip while I show her how to milk me.

“Motherfucker!” I squeeze my eyes shut.

Her gaze is on my face when I open my eyes. I’m sure my sexual blush matches the innocent one on her cheeks. My hand trembles as I remove hers from my cock and shove it under the shower spray.

“When you’re eighteen, I will explore every inch of you. I will make you come as hard as you make me. But you have to be sure that I am who you want, because I won’t share you.”

The look she gives me guts me. “But I have to share you with that bitch?”

I press her hand against my chest where my heart beats. “When I come to you, sweetheart, that shit with the Rossis will be over. I won’t fuck the woman, Kinsley. I promise you that. From this point forward, I’m yours.” I kiss the palm of her hand and curl her fingers around it. “Soon. I promise. Now go and wait in the bedroom.”

“Okay.”

Once she’s in the next room, I clean myself up while thinking about tonight. I’m going to have to be on guard. Aldo Rossi is no fool. The man knows he has me where he wants me. Veronica will be spitting mad after this afternoon. However, her father knows family comes first. He is a big believer in that, but even so, I wonder where he stands after today’s episode.

I turn off the shower, then quickly dry myself and grab a robe to cover up. I would have loved to pull Kinsley into the shower with me. Her touch had undone me quickly. As much as I don’t want to wait, I know patience is required.

With my body concealed, I step into the bedroom and freeze. Kinsley is curled up in the middle of my bed, asleep. My heart tugs in my chest at the beautiful sight before me. Her safety is why I must play everything just the right way. I dread the time that I might have to hurt her to protect her.

Pushing aside the temptation to join her, I pad into the walk-in closet and dress in black slacks and a crisp white shirt. My gaze is constantly drawn to the bed. Unable to help myself, I move to her and watch as she sleeps.

That isn’t enough. Carefully, so as not to disturb her, I climb onto the bed. I lie on my side, watching the soft rise of her chest as she sleeps. I trace her soft mouth with my finger, lightly trailing over the plumpness.

To my surprise, her eyes snap open and she captures my finger in her mouth. She wraps her tongue around the digit and sucks. My cock floods with blood as lust consumes me.

“Fuck, Kinsley.” I pull my finger free. “Don’t do shit like that.”

“Why? Didn’t you like it?”

Is she for real? I watch her from beneath my brows. She has no idea what she does to me.

Taking her hand, I bring it to my crotch and press her palm against my twitching dick. “After what you witnessed in the shower, you should know what effect you have on me.”

Her eyes go wide. “Oh!”

If my balls didn’t hurt so fucking much, I’d laugh. I remove her hand and force words out of my mouth. “Aldo Rossi is mafia, which you may have figured out.”

She nods.

“He is important in the grand scheme of things. The main families are extremely powerful. Rossi, Edge, and Lombardi. In my fight to keep Edge away from you, it’s important to have Rossi’s support. Edge knows that in order to get to you, he’ll have to go through me. I’ve made that very clear. I think it was Edge who hired the shooter.”

“This is really bad, isn’t it?” Kinsley moves into my arms and clings to me. “I’m scared, Tiberius.”

“I hated my name until you came along,” I admit.

“I like your name.” She pauses. “Will you be okay tonight? Don’t lie to me.”

“I will have Salem, Edgar, and Nine with me. Edge will not try anything at Rossi’s estate.”

“Make sure you shoot first, okay? I need you to come home to me.”

I feel her words like a kick in the gut. No one has ever given a shit if I came home before.

“I will always come home to you.” I kiss her on the forehead, resisting the lips I so want to taste. “Go and shower. I’ll have Marie bring your dinner to your room.”

“Okay.” She doesn’t move, just holds on to me.

I wanted to stay in bed holding Kinsley, but instead, I carried her to her own room and tucked her into bed. She’ll eat dinner when she wakes.

Salem drives my SUV, with Edgar sitting beside him, messing with his own tie. Nine Svenson sits beside me in the back—no doubt he is armed to the teeth. He goes nowhere without his knives. Unfortunately, he will have to stay outside since he refuses to give any of his weapons up to enter the house.

“Heads up,” Edgar says. “There are a good number of people here.”

“Great.” I curse under my breath.

Edgar grunts and is the first out of the vehicle. Standing with my three most trusted men, I say, “No one drinks or eats anything.”

“I’m a growing boy,” Edgar complains.

“I’m sure you’d rather continue to be a growing boy instead of a dead one.”

He grumbles under his breath as I move toward the entrance. Nine slips into the shadows before I enter the house. The moment the door closes, my senses are overwhelmed by a strong scent. Veronica. I’m sure she bathes in a whole bottle of fragrance.

Grabbing my arm, she doesn’t let go when I try to free myself. “Come with me. Trust me.”

I sure as hell will never trust her, but I am curious. Their house is full of various families, not all have anything openly to do with the mafia.

I catch Aldo Rossi’s eye as I let his daughter lead me through the throng of guests. I have an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Veronica leads me into a secluded section of the large stone patio. “Fuck me!” she demands.

Untangling myself, I step away.

She follows. “My father is pissed with you for how you treated me. He’ll know if we’ve made up, and it will take his anger down a notch or two.”

She starts lifting her skirt until the tops of her stockings show. “Fuck me, Beckett. Make it good.”

I grab the woman and turn her around. “I’m not fucking you,” I whisper in her ear.

Veronica pulls away from me and tugs her skirt down. She turns to face me, her furious eyes locked on mine. “You bastard! It’s that girl, isn’t it?”

I grab her by the throat. “You don’t fucking mention her.” I squeeze for good measure before stepping away.

“We’re alike, you and I.”

“I don’t think so.”

She laughs. “Neither of us cares who gets hurt when we go after what we want.” A calculating look appears on her face only to be interrupted by her father. “We’ve made up, Daddy.” Veronica smiles and moves to kiss her father on the cheek. His eyes never leave mine.

“I need Beckett, honey. Go and help your mother.”

Dismissed, Veronica reluctantly heads inside.

Alone with her father, I watch him as closely as he watches me. The man does not miss anything.

“Sex with my daughter does not soften me.” He chuckles. “I do not make my decisions that way.”

“No, I don’t suppose you do, and I didn’t fuck your daughter.”

“I do not care. Come, we will speak in my office.”

Following him inside, I spot Edgar and Salem as they fall into step.

They are not allowed inside the office but stand guard outside while I enter the lion’s den. There at the bookcase is Cannon Edge. I bury my feelings at seeing the man and face Aldo.

“I see you dislike my surprise, Tiberius,” Cannon says. “But let’s not dwell on that and move forward.”

Rossi sits behind his desk with a knowing smirk on his face. “You two need to clear the air because I want us to work together.”

Cannon releases a loud stream of vulgar cuss words. “I refuse to work with him.”

“What a short memory you must have, Cannon.” Rossi makes a tutting sound. “I remember a time when you and Beckett were the best of friends. Allies.”

“Things change.”

“Enough,” Rossi says, his voice hard. He focuses his gaze on me. “You will give Cannon his sister.”

“Like hell I will!” I growl. “He tried to kill her yesterday!”

Cannon goes white and jumps to his feet. “The fuck I did,” he hisses. “She is family.” He inhales and slowly exhales, his fists clenching at his sides. “What the fuck happened?” He catches my eye. “Tell me!”

“Some fucker fired a shot through the windshield of the car. If I hadn’t moved her when I did, she would be dead.”

“I had nothing to do with that,” he states. “If you are concentrating all your effort on pinning it on me, then you are wasting time.”

I turn to Rossi. “Kinsley is safe where she is. That animal will not get his claws into her.”

“She is his family, Beckett. Not yours. He can do what he wants with the girl.”

“My brother raised her as his. Cannon had Jude and Anna killed. Kinsley is my family. She is not negotiable.”

Cannon growls but doesn’t say anything.

“You will do as I say!” Rossi shouts.

This is getting out of hand, but there is no way I am handing my girl over to that sociopath.

I take a deep breath, then slowly exhale and look Rossi in the eye. “The girl stays with me.”

“That is not good enough,” Cannon hisses. “She belongs with my family. She is an Edge, and nothing you or anyone else can do will change that.” Cannon opens his mouth to continue, but Rossi cuts him off.

“You will hold an eighteenth birthday party for Kinsley. We will attend. She can meet Cannon, Xavier, and Cleo. Decide for herself if she wants to spend time with them. This,” he says firmly, “is a compromise. Yes?”

Cannon’s eyes gleam with malice as he glares my way. “I agree.”

“Beckett? I need your answer,” Rossi demands.

I unclench my teeth and reply, “I agree.”

“That wasn’t so difficult, now, was it?”

He has no fucking idea just how difficult it was to say those two words. I want to kill the evil bastard.

“Are we done here?” I snarl.

“We are,” Rossi says.

Cannon shoots to the door. “My family eagerly awaits the invitation.”

I exit the room, anger rolling from every part of my body. I vaguely hear Rossi call out to me, but I pretend otherwise.

He has chosen his side, and it isn’t mine.

Spotting Veronica, I head her way. I grab her hand and remove the engagement ring. “Consider the engagement null and void.”

I leave a spitting mad woman behind and weave my way toward the exit.

Outside, Nine takes one look at my face and winces.

“In the car,” I say.

As we drive home, I open the window and toss out the ring. At least that is one problem solved, even if more have sprung up.