Frozen Valentine Read online

  The roads are coated in snow and ice.

  Good thing I’ve got four-wheel drive and should be able to get through it without a problem. It has only taken what feels like forever to get there.

  I turn onto the road leading to the cabin breathing out a sigh of relief, knowing I’m only a mile away from the cabin where I can light a fire and warm up.

  As soon as I straighten the wheel and start to speed up slightly, a deer runs across the road right in front of me causing me to slam on the brakes which is not a good idea to do. Sliding over the slick road, I end up in the ditch.

  Fuckin’ great, it’s too late at night to worry about getting the damn thing out of the ditch now. Between the snow falling and the darkness of the night I won’t be able to get it out. Not without help.

  I can walk the rest of the way to the cabin, and tomorrow I’ll see if I can’t get it out.

  Sighing, I turn the engine off and pull the keys from the ignition. I take a deep breath and open the door. No reason to hold myself up when it’s going to take me a bit of time to walk the rest of the way. At least it’s only a mile and not more than that.

  Though it’s going to be one freezing cold walk since I didn’t bring a heavier coat or wear something besides jeans and a Henley matched with my steel-toed boots.

  Yeah, I’ll be cold but nothing a warm fire won’t warm up.

  Chapter Two

  Blake

  Sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, I stare into the depths of the flames. So far today my mother and father have both called ten times each. All before I turned my phone on mute to keep from hearing when they called.

  I would turn my phone off but my brother told me to never do so. Of course, I’ll listen to Christian. He’s my favorite person in the world and is always there for me. We have a bond unlike any other and I would do anything for him and vice versa. It’s why he rented this place for me.

  Lifting the cup of hot cocoa up to my lips, I take a sip and contemplate my life. I want to move away from home. I might live in an apartment away from the house and have a job working in an accounting firm but it’s not what I want. I hate my job. I hate the apartment I live in. All because the moment I had something special to me, my mother came in and threw it out. If it wasn’t what she wanted in there it would be trashed.

  Same with everything else in my life she tries to control it all. If it wasn’t for my car being a rental, I’m sure she’d already be here trying to drag me home.

  I’m not a pubescent child. I’m an adult who is trying to live a life without dealing with the headaches of parents who want to marry you off to get money.

  I could ask my brother for his help in getting away from them and I know he’d help me. But it’s not his problem to deal with. Christian has his own life to live and doesn’t need the headache I’m sure our parents would bring to his door.

  The fire crackles and the flames dance with their orange and yellow colors as the embers shine through the burning wood. I’d never built a fire before and I’m proud to say I did this one by myself. Thanks to the directions the caretaker left for me. I guess my brother informed him I’d need instructions.

  Smiling to myself, I sip more of the hot cocoa. I’ve enjoyed the silence of the cabin. Throughout the day I’ve been reading one of my books and put on a pot of homemade chicken and dumplings. My favorite.

  Blue has even been at ease here. Laying on the opposite end of the couch, stretched out she takes up most of the furniture, my doggie snoozes.

  All of a sudden, she perks up, ears pointed back, and turns to the door. Blue hops off the couch and trots over to the door. Her stance is not soothing at the moment. Or one of needing to go out.

  Someone or something is out there. I put my mug on the coffee table and stand. I stride over to the window next to the door and peer out through the curtains.

  My eyes widen at the sight of a man walking up to the house.

  Oh my. Oh crap.

  My brother always told me not to speak to strangers unless I had to and to never let anyone in my home if I didn’t know them. But the man looks half-frozen from the looks of him in the darkness. It’s still snowing heavily out there and I can’t let him just stand out there in the cold. What if he’s been in an accident and needs help? Or he could be a serial killer coming to kill me.

  I quickly make the decision to not live with a man’s death on my conscience. I mean seriously, what is the worst that could happen. Besides, if he is a serial killer and kills me, he’ll be taking care of me not having to deal with my parents anymore.

  Grabbing my jacket, I slip it on along with a pair of boots. I snag the blanket off the back of the couch and run out the door. Blue darts out past me. She gets to the man first and sniffs him and starts to whine.

  “Easy, pup,” the guy says, and oh my, his voice shoots a tingling sensation throughout my body.

  I make it to him and throw the blanket around him as best as I can. It’s not an easy feat but I get it done. “Come on, let’s get you inside and in front of the fire,” I say, wrapping my arm around his waist.

  Nodding, the stranger allows me to help him though it doesn’t seem he needs the help. Stepping up on the porch, I reach out and open the door to guide the man into the warmth of the house. Upon entering, I notice his clothes are soaked due to the snow.

  “Why don’t you take your clothes off and sit in front of the fire to warm up. I’ll grab you something warm to drink,” I state, and the guy’s eyes peer down at me.

  “You wanna tell me what you’re doing in my cabin?” he asks but he does this while reaching down to untie his boots.

  “Your cabin?” I mumble, my eyes widening. “I, um, I rented this place so it’s my cabin,” I state, slightly nervous.

  “Considering my family owns it, it’s my cabin and it’s not up for rent. How did you rent it?” he demands. Standing back up he toes off his boots, his hands reaching over his head, and he removes his long sleeve shirt. He tosses it onto his boots.

  Um. Oh God, I’m not going to stare. I’m not going to stare. His magnificent muscular chest and tattoo covering his arm are not causing my nether region to quiver.

  Nope, not at all.

  “Well?” he says, a smirk crossing his face.

  “My brother, he rented it for me,” I state, informing him of the truth.

  “And who is your brother?” he demands, his hands moving to the button of his jeans. I whirl around and head to the kitchen.

  “I’ll, um, make you something warm to drink. You want coffee, tea, or cocoa. I’m having cocoa because you can add whip cream on top and it makes it the best,” I ramble.

  “You didn’t answer my question, Snowflake,” the stranger says.

  I peek over my shoulder and find him standing there in nothing but his boxer briefs which take to his body like a second skin. I turn my head back around and decide to get him cocoa cause everyone loves cocoa when it’s snowing.

  “My brother’s name is Christian Bandoni,” I murmur, and hear the man curse behind me. “What?” I ask without turning back around.

  “Nothing, Snowflake. I’ll be back in a minute. I’m gonna grab a change of clothes,” he growls, and I sense I’ve pissed him off.

  This couldn’t be good.

  Does he know my brother?

  I’m just finishing up making his cocoa when he comes back out wearing a pair of sweatpants resting low on his hips. His phone to his ear.

  “Yeah, I’m pissed. You set me up, asshole,” he sneers into the phone, his gaze finding me.

  What?

  He seems really angry right now staring at me.

  “Right, yeah, wait ‘til I see you, Bandoni, I’m going to beat the shit out of you.” Um, did he just threaten to beat my brother up?

  “Don’t threaten my brother,” I prattle without meaning to.

  “I’m not threatening him, Snowflake, I’m telling him what’s gonna happen when I see him next,” he growls, the phone still pressed t
o his ear. “Yeah, she’s standing right in front of me. If she were any other woman, I’d put her ass out but since she’s your sister, I’ll allow her to stay at least until the roads are clear.”

  He’ll allow me to stay?

  Is he serious right now telling my brother he’ll allow me to do something? Nope, I don’t think so.

  “Um, excuse me, but I was here first and I had permission. I even gave my brother the money to rent this place for the next two weeks,” I declare, putting the cocoa on the counter in front of him. “Now take this drink and go sit over there on the couch and I’ll allow you to stay until the storm is over and you can get the hell out of here.”

  With that I turn and face the stove. I can’t believe I just said that to a complete stranger but for some reason, I don’t understand, he makes me want to do funny things. Things I’ve never done before. Unless you include the vibrator I have stored in my bag in the other room.

  Oh crap, I hope he doesn’t think I’m going to let him take the bed and I take the couch. Not going to happen. I got here first. My brother told me he booked this place for me and I’m not leaving and I sure as hell am not about to let this guy, I don’t even know his name yet, take over.

  Uh huh, no way am I going to let him walk all over me the way my parents keep trying to do.

  Chapter Three

  Theo

  I’m going to kill Christian and Leo. Going to fuckin’ kill them. I can’t believe they would give the okay for Christian’s sister to stay at one of our safe houses without telling me.

  Soon as I neared the house, I knew someone was inside. The smoke was coming from the chimney and the lights were on in the house.

  When the door opened, and this beautiful dark-haired woman came rushing toward me, my mind wandered to places it shouldn’t have in those moments. This is Blake, the little sister Christian is always raving on about. I know about her and the shit her parents keep doing with her. They want her married off to get money off of the man she marries and the money she’ll gain from a trust fund that she’s to receive when married or when she turns thirty.

  I don’t understand people somedays but those two are fucked up. It’s why Christian hasn’t been home to see his family. Though when he wants to see his sister, he’ll have her meet him somewhere away from their parents.

  As I hold the phone to my ear, listening to him laughing his ass off, I stare at the woman’s ass. I haven’t seen a woman with such a perfect ass before.

  Plus, the woman has spirit, enough of it to try and put me in my place.

  “Tell her to check her account that I set up for her. She’ll see the money had been put back in yesterday,” Christian says, chuckling.

  The touch of Blake’s dog touching the back of my hand gets my attention and I smile at the sight of the beautiful pup. Like her owner, she’s a magnificent creature. She’s also a pup that belongs to my dog back home.

  I’d found Tink when she’d been a pup herself and I never got rid of her. She’d had puppies about a year and a half ago and Christian wanted to give one to his sister. It’s good to see Tink’s pup is doing well. The other two puppies went to my uncle who wanted them for his own.

  Clearing my throat, I look back up to the woman who’s standing with her back to me as she stirs something that smells fan-fuckin-tastic. “Your brother has told me to tell you if you check your account, you’ll find the money is back in there. It’s been there since yesterday.”

  Blake wheels around still holding a soup ladle in one hand and reaches the other out signaling for me to hand her my phone.

  “She wants to speak to me, doesn’t she?” Christian must know his sister.

  “Yep.” I smirk and shake my head.

  I pick up the mug of hot cocoa she made for me and drink it though I hate the taste of it. I won’t hurt her feelings by not drinking the sweet shit. Not after she made it for me.

  Give me a black coffee any day of the week. I would rather have that which I actually prefer to drink than something sweet as this.

  “I’ll let you get to it. Remember two things, my friend. One, Blake is my little sister and I love her dearly. I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt her. And second, I sent you there for reasons you’ll soon find out,” Christian states and hangs up before I can ask him what he means by that.

  Sighing, I put the phone back in my pocket and focus my attention on the woman standing in front of me.

  “You should be sitting in front of the fireplace getting warm,” she declares with a glare.

  “I’m fine,” I say, waving off her concerns.

  “No, you’re not. You were out there in the freezing temps walking through at least a foot of snow with wet clothes on. You could have hypothermia or something. Aren’t you supposed to be warming your body gradually or something? Drink that and go sit down and warm up. I’ll bring you some soup in a minute.”

  Fuck me.

  My cock seems to find her rambling cute as hell right now. I wonder if she’s like this all the time or if she’s nervous with me being around her. It’s then I realize Blake has yet to ask me for my name. If she were my woman, I’d be putting her over my knee right now for not only running out in the cold but for letting a stranger in without finding out who they are first. Doesn’t matter to me her attempt to help me get inside when I’m nearly half her size had been cute.

  “Do you know who I am?” I ask bluntly, disregarding her orders for me to go sit down.

  “No, I don’t know who you are, and you don’t know who I am. But, evidently, you know who my brother is so I guess you are either a friend of his and will be nice to me, or you’re an enemy of his and maybe even a serial killer. I do hope it’s the first suggestion and not the last, because I have to tell you, I don’t feel like dying anytime soon,” she prattles, and I can’t help but throw my head back and laugh.

  “Woman, that is some funny shit there.” I chuckle.

  “It’s not funny, it’s the truth,” she snaps.

  “Yeah, baby, it’s the truth but it’s also fuckin’ hilarious. I can’t wait to tell your brother that one,” I say and place the mug back on the counter. “I’m Theo De Luca.”

  “Theo De Luca.” The sound of my name on her lips causes my cock to twitch and I’m sure if she looked on my side of the counter, she’d see him pressing against the fabric of the sweatpants. “How do you know my brother?” she asks.

  “He’s a friend of mine and we work together,” I say truthfully. I won’t tell her that her brother is one of Leo’s top men.

  “So you’re in the military too?”

  Ugh, what?

  Christian told her he joined the military?

  Oh shit.

  “Does it look like I joined the military with this scruff?” I chuckle.

  “No, but you never know. You could have taken time off and grew it out.” She shrugs.

  “Snowflake, your brother and I aren’t in the military,” I state, not wanting to lie to her.

  “You’re telling me my brother lied to me then,” she snaps, her gaze narrowing to tiny slits.

  “That’s between your brother and you, babe, but I’m only speaking for myself. He and I work together and I trust him with my life as he does with me. You can trust me on that,” I say and look down at her dog. “What did you name her?”

  “Blue,” she huffs.

  “Good name for her, her brother’s eyes are the same way.” I don’t bother looking up to know she’s shocked by what I’ve just said.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because Blue’s momma is mine,” I state and look up to her to find her looking as if she were going to faint on me.

  I hope to fuck she doesn’t I’m not trying to deal with a woman fainting or anything else. I told Christian she could stay here but fuck if it’s not going to be hard to stay out of her pants. She’s a beauty in her flannel shirt and black leggings. Hottest part of her dressed like this and I’m sure she doesn’t realize it but the buttons aren’t done
up enough and I can see the top of her tits perfectly.

  Chapter Four

  Blake

  Oh crap. Shoot me and blow me out of this world.

  I don’t know if I want to be angry right now and throw this pot of chicken and dumplings at him or kiss him and say thank you.

  Why the first because he’s finding this whole thing amusing where I don’t. None of this is funny. He’s all but told me my brother has lied to me and this makes me feel like a fool. And I wonder what else my brother has lied about. But I won’t throw my soup at him. I worked too hard to make it.

  The second where I could kiss him and thank him is for me having Blue. She’s the one thing I have that’s constant. As much as my parents hate her, they can’t get rid of her without me noticing. Also, Christian informed them if they did, he’d make their lives a living hell. I don’t know what he meant by these words, all I know is our parents listened.

  God, I’m an idiot either way. This man, Theo De Luca, is a stranger and I’m stuck in this cabin with him. A cabin that belongs to his family, but my brother told me he rented it for me. Why would he do this?

  Can I even trust to stay in this house with Theo De Luca and know he won’t hurt me? God knows I’ve been a naïve dimwit allowing my parents to have their way with so many things, I’m not even sure.

  Scooping out two bowls worth of chicken and dumplings, I hand one to him without speaking another word to him and go sit in my spot I’d claimed on the couch. My phone lights up on the coffee table but I ignore it. I know who it is and I’m not about to answer it. I won’t. I refuse to listen to them rant and claim I’m an idiot. It’s bad enough I already feel like one.

  I don’t need them to tell me.

  They’ve told me enough over the years.

  No matter how good my grades were in school. I made straight A’s every year, but it was never good enough because I wasn’t in the top five of my class. To them if it’s not their way and what they want, they’re never going to be happy.