Una Nuova Famiglia Ch. 04

*

Ronnie did not accompany her into the bank. There was no problem getting access to the safe deposit box and after a bit of fanfare she was seated, alone, at a table, a metal rectangular box before her. She lifted the lid and felt her breath catch. Cash, lots of it. Credit cards, a social security card, a birth certificate, all in the name Rose Donnely. A small black gun, much lighter than anything she'd handled. Two first-class plane tickets to Barbados. A small notebook with the name of a Swiss bank, the phone number, and what she assumed were account numbers. A letter with her real name printed on it.

If you're reading this, I'm already gone. We're better

off apart right now. Get on the damn plane. I'll see

you soon.

She read it over and over again. Goddamn her. She shoved the contents of the box into one of the black canvas bags provided and left the bank minutes later. Ronnie was waiting for her.

"You knew about this." It wasn't a question.

"She put that in there weeks ago and she knows what she's doing. She'll be able to focus once you're out of the country."

"I'm not leaving."

Ronnie stopped at a red light and looked at her passenger.

"Raegan, I have to put you on that plane or Shane will break my fucking neck. Don't make me carry you kicking and screaming."

Raegan could do nothing but pout as the car sped off. She wondered if Ronnie would really drag her to the plane. She sighed finally, swallowing her anger. "Fine. But this is absolute bullshit."

*****

She was now standing on a private terrace, shadowed by lush trees, overlooking a white sandy beach and dazzling aqua-blue water. The bed and breakfast had been empty when she and Ronnie returned to Pennsylvania. Surprise, surprise. She'd grabbed her few belongings and headed directly for the airport, no detours. Ronnie had been her shadow since the bank trip and it was beginning to aggravate her. But looking out into paradise, how could she complain? The hotel was lovely, replete with two pools, a top of the line fitness center, a private beach, and excellent room service. She was registered as Rose Donnely. Raegan already hated the name.

No one questioned the fact that Ronnie shared the suite with her. And they catered to Ronnie as if they knew her. In fact, Ronnie was treated like royalty. Greetings, every special request met with no complaints, and grins, grins, grins from the staff. Something told her Ronnie and her girlfriend, the talented Jessica Blair, had visited the hotel before. And if they thought Ronnie was a cheat, no one said a thing.

*

The days passed slowly and Raegan knew she shouldn't worry but she did. She knew she should enjoy her time on the lovely island, but she couldn't. The local people were quite nice and the shopping was great. Ronnie had dragged her to a number of private parties with attractive, dark-skinned men and women who flirted with her shamelessly. She even noticed Ronnie disappearing a time or two with a lovely piece of eye candy (she wondered if Jessica cared). She should be having a good time…but she couldn't help thinking about Shane, lying face down in a pool of blood. She couldn't get the image out of head. And Shane had not called. Not once. She had no idea if she was dead or alive and she worried…God she worried.

She'd dropped letters in the mail to her mother, sister and Reese before leaving the country. She'd call them soon, she promised. But she couldn't talk to them, couldn't tell them of her fears. Couldn't tell them her fiancée was probably tracking down Karin with every intention of killing her. Couldn't tell them she would happily be a party to that murder. She couldn't tell the people she loved any of the happenings in her life right now. The only person she could tell was the tall, dark-skinned muscular stud currently sharing a hotel suite with her.

That stud had spent the night out again, and as Raegan sat picking halfheartedly at a bowl of fruit the next morning, she wondered what she would do with herself today. She was tired of shopping, tired of partying, tired of sightseeing. Maybe she would spend some time at the University, emailing Reese and her sister. She pushed the bowl of fruit away and made her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she went downstairs to the lobby. The driver Ronnie had hired for her, a very tall, very large dark-skinned man with a lovely British accent and a rather large gun tucked into a shoulder holster, stood when she stepped from the elevator.

"Ms. Donnely, may I be of service?"

"Hi Mel. No, I just want to walk around a bit. I'll be back."

He watched her walk out of the front doors and then quickly dialed a number on his cell phone.

"What?"

"She's going walking."

"Keep an eye on her."

Mel disconnected the call and followed his charge, making sure to keep a discreet distance.

*

When she returned to the room hours later, Ronnie was packing. Actually she was quickly shoving her belongings into designer bags and barking orders into a cell phone. Raegan paused a moment, assessed the situation, and drew the only logical conclusion.

"Shane contacted you?"

Ronnie ignored her, pointing to the closet. She was indicating that Raegan should pack. Raegan ignored her, waiting until she ended the call.

"You heard from Shane." This time it wasn't a question.

"We're leaving, pack what you want."

"I'm not going anywhere until I speak to Shane."

Ronnie shook her head, "it's not going to happen, Reagan. And we have to go. Now."

Out of sheer frustration, Raegan grabbed a vase of fresh flowers and threw it across the room, watching it shatter against a pristine white wall. The two women stared at each other for a moment. Ronnie was the first to break the silence.

"Feel better now?"

"Yea, I do actually."

"Good, then move your ass."

*

Two days later she was looking at a gorgeous sunrise over yet another beautiful, sandy beach. She had no idea what Island they were on this time…and she didn't really care. She wanted to know when she could go home. She wanted to know when she could see Shane. She wanted to know when she would have some semblance of her life back. She could feel the anger and annoyance intensifying with each passing moment. It made her think stupid thoughts. Like maybe she should just go home and wait for Karin to find her? Clearly Karin had found out where she was, hence the quick get away. Why not go home and simply wait? She had guns, she knew how to shoot, she could protect herself, right? She had a passport and money, couldn't she just call up the airline and go home? Or had Shane arranged for her to stay put? It wasn't like Shane to neglect such a detail. She'd probably arrive at the airport only to find Shane had paid them all to make sure she didn't leave the island.

She sighed, watching the stunning orange ball of fire sink behind the horizon. She could enjoy this if Shane was with her. Right now she only had two dark-skinned giants with her, one male and one female. And as much as she'd grown to like Ronnie, it wasn't the same as having Shane around. Or Reese. She wondered what would happen if she asked Reese to join them? Of course that would put Reese's life in danger. And hadn't she done enough to him already?

It was only 7pm according to the hotel's clock, but she was bored and tired. She knew she should eat something, but she had no appetite. She showered and then crawled between crisp white sheets, pulling the heavy comforter over her head. Maybe if she slept for a few hours, she'd feel better.

Some time later, somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she heard someone enter her hotel room. She heard ruffling noises as the person moved about, heard the shower running, but it didn't register in a way that would wake her. Actually, she thought it might be Ronnie. Had she been awake, she would have wondered why Ronnie wasn't using the shower in her own room. But then again, none of it was really penetrating the fog of sleep that fuzzed her brain. She simply shifted beneath the heavy comforter and tried to return to the deep sleep she'd been enjoying. Considering how rare a good sleep was for her, of course she'd want to return.

She probably should have panicked when she felt the other side of the bed dip from someone's weight, but she didn't. And she suddenly knew why she wasn't worried, why she hadn't moved. Somehow she just knew. She'd probably known when the person first entered her room. And so she wasn't startled when she felt familiar arms pull her close. She melded herself to the tall, muscular form, her body responding immediately to familiar hands as they stirred up feelings she'd tried to bury for her own sanity.

She didn't want to open her eyes, afraid for an instant that she was dreaming, but when she did she fell into mesmerizing hazel-green orbs. Her lips spread into a slow smile and she moved in to kiss Shane hungrily. God she'd missed her. Missed her so terribly she'd been unwilling to admit it until this moment. She had tons of questions, but right now she could only concentrate on the fever Shane was stirring in her. Those hands massaged her back, caressed her hips, settled comfortably on her breasts. Her nipples were hard, aching to be touched, to be pulled, to be nibbled. Shane didn't waste any time accommodating them. Raegan arched her back, offering more of herself to those delicious lips. She could already feel her muscles tensing, the pit of her stomach clenching. Shane seemed to be as hungry for the feel of her, gathering her closer, and then even closer. Her hand slipped between them and settled between Raegan's thighs, her fingers locating her wet, hard center. Raegan only had time to moan once before Shane had her body exploding with pleasure.

Shane didn't give her a moment to catch her breath, but Raegan didn't mind. With the first orgasm out of the way, they took their time re-exploring one another's bodies. Raegan took pleasure in the feel of Shane's taut muscles. She inhaled her partner's scent deeply, knowing she might need something to cling to in the days to come. She nibbled a path from Shane's lips to her throat, then her shoulders, and finally those small, enticing breasts. She enjoyed the swift intake of breath as her mouth covered a hardened nipple greedily. Her hand made its way beneath the base of the dildo strapped around Shane's hips and stroked the slick heat between those muscular thighs. She wanted to please Shane, wanted to make her come, wanted to imprint the taste of her, the smell of her, the feel of her, on her brain.

But Shane had other plans. She was on her back seconds later as Shane slid the oversized tool into her. She moaned as it penetrated, pushing sensitive tissue aside to fill her completely. She braced herself, impatient for the ride. Soon they moved together, the room filled with the sounds and scent of their coupling. She didn't feel the orgasm sneak up on her and the only response she could manage was to cling to Shane's shoulders, crying out as it rushed through her. Again, Shane didn't pause, pumping into her with abandon, generating incredibly delicious sensations. She could feel the muscles in Shane's back tense and knew she was getting close to her own pinnacle. But as Shane changed positions, bringing Raegan's legs over her shoulders and shifting her hips just a bit, Raegan could no longer think straight. The dildo punched into her g-spot on every downward stroke and she could feel something powerful, something almost frightening, building within her. It didn't take long and she clung to Shane with desperation, her nails digging into Shane's back as the wave of sensation drowned her in utter bliss. The pain from her nails triggered Shane's orgasm and Raegan could feel herself swept up by yet another surge of intense pleasure as Shane groaned into her ear.

They lay in silence for quite some time, wrapped in each other's arms, simply enjoying the feel of each other. Now that she had her fill of Shane, at least for the moment, Raegan was ready for a fight. She wanted to go home. Shane would most likely say no. They would argue. She sighed deeply as Shane pulled her closer and decided she would wait another few minutes. She just wanted to take pleasure in the feel of Shane beside her.

It was quite some time later when she realized she was hungry. She was pressed against Shane's side, enjoying the easy rise and fall of her lover's breathing, when her rumbling stomach made them both smile. Shane pulled her in for a kiss then reached over for the phone. She wasn't listening to whatever Shane ordered, she was too busy basking in the feel of Shane. It had been entirely too long. Still, they had business to discuss. And she had to begin with the question that most plagued her.

"Do you know where she is?" Raegan asked once Shane hung up the phone.

"Not yet. Chino has a lead. I'll follow it when I get back."

"How are you feeling? Are you resting? Eating?"

Shane chuckled, leave it to Raegan to worry about weather or not she was too tired or hungry to track someone down and kill them.

"I'm fine, other than missing you."

Raegan closed her eyes for a moment, burying her head against Shane's side.

"I already know what you're going to say, but I want to go home."

Shane sighed, she'd run that possibility through her brain a hundred different times. It just wasn't safe. If Karin found her, she'd kill her.

"She'd use you to fuck with me. She'd find you, hurt you, kill you, exploiting my one weak spot. She'd use you to get to me."

Raegan shivered just a bit. They lay in silence until they heard a knock on the suite door. Raegan stood to get it, but Shane pulled her back down.

"Mel will get it. I don't want you answering doors right now."

She nodded. She'd forgotten the precaution Ronnie had tried to drill into her. She blamed it on her joy at having Shane by her side once again. But Shane's words reminded her of the risk Ronnie and Mel took whenever they opened a door for her.

She listened to the sound of Mel's deep, melodious British accent, suddenly a little embarrassed that he had probably overheard the sounds of their lovemaking. Then she was too busy enjoying the sight of rippling muscles as Shane quickly donned a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. Shane made her way to door barefoot, opening and closing the door behind her.

Raegan listened to their voices for a moment, realizing Ronnie had joined them, before standing and pulling on a thick robe, complements of the luxury hotel. She took a moment to wash her face and brush her teeth before exiting the room and settling onto the sofa beside Shane. She fixed herself a plate from the spread Shane had ordered and then settled back to wait for the pleasantries to end.

"Chino says she's in witness protection."

Ronnie winced at Shane's announcement. It would take twice as long to find Karin if she was being protected by the Feds.

"Chino has some boys inside, they'll find her." Ronnie offered.

"Yea, but the Feds know they have leaks so they're going to keep it quiet. It might take a while."

Raegan swallowed during the moment of silence and prepared herself for Ronnie's next words. They had already discussed the plan at great length, but she hadn't realized they'd have to have this discussion with Shane face-to-face.

"Bringing her back to the states might flush her out. Might piss Karin off enough to come after both of you."

"I'm not losing anyone else." Shane dismissed the idea.

"If she doesn't have a target, she'll focus on you and you won't have a clue when she's coming after you. If I'm in the states, it will give her something else to focus on." Raegan said quietly.

"No."

Raegan looked over at Ronnie who nodded. They both knew it was the only logical plan. They simply had to convince Shane.

"Mel and Ronnie will stay with me."

"Shane, it's the best option we've got."

"I said no."

For once Shane's brittle voice did not compel Raegan to back down.

"We already booked a flight for the states Shane. We leave in two days." Raegan told her.

Shane looked over at Ronnie and Mel, both of whom avoided her gaze. She stood and began to pace and no one was surprised when suddenly her fist plowed a hole into a wall. Raegan closed her eyes. It was a sign that she was at least considering it.

"We'll stay at a hotel. It will be harder for her to get to Raegan there. Some place in Manhattan with good security. Probably the Waldorf." Ronnie filled her in.

Silence greeted them. Shane was staring out of a window at a beautiful blue ocean, white sand and a crystal clear blue sky.

"You want to get her, this is our best bet." Ronnie offered as a final word.

"Out."

Once Mel and Ronnie left, Raegan stood and made her way to the window. She waited, her body tensed, for what was sure to be a storm of refusal. She was surprised when instead Shane merely turned to her, gathering her close and taking a deep breath.

"I don't like the idea of using you as bait. What if something goes wrong?" Her tone was strong and yet defeated. Clearly she knew they had no other real options.

"You won't let it."

Shane sighed, "goddamnit Raegan, I don't have control over this. She could get to you before I even realized what was going on."

"It's not going to happen that way. She's going to come after me and you're going to stop her. End of story."

She didn't like the tension in Shane's body, or the defeated sigh.

"If anything happens to you—"

"It won't. I'd put my life in your hands anytime Shane Miller. I trust you."

Shane closed her eyes and pulled Raegan closer, "that's what I'm afraid of."

*****

She'd never stayed at the Waldorf before and she wondered if she'd be having fun, basking in the absolute luxury of the place, if she wasn't so worried. Worried this would not work, worried Shane would get hurt…or killed. Worried they would lose Ronnie or Mel. Worried.

She stood at the balcony door, she'd been warned not to go out, reminiscing about her life. Just a short while ago she was a school teacher living check to check in Manhattan. She could balance her check book every month because there was so little to manage and the most exciting thing in her humdrum life was taking in a new movie with Reese. And now? Jesus. What had happened to her boring little life? Now she was marrying the infamous Shane Miller. She had access to more money than she'd ever imagined. Her family's and friends' lives were at risk. She'd been forced to kill someone and lost a friend to violence. And the FBI was watching her. What a change. How had it all happened so fast? Who could have imagined?

She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, watching the chaos 20 stories below, people rushing about as if their lives depended on it. There were hundreds of people down there and she watched them, as she'd done for the past five days, hurrying to cross streets, disappearing into boutiques, playing with dogs in Central Park. She'd been one of those people. A normal New Yorker who read about people like Shane. Her thoughts continued to drift until she heard a familiar rhythmic tap on the door and Ronnie entered.

"Mel's ordering something, you hungry?"

Raegan shook her head. She hadn't had much of an appetite lately.

Ronnie watched her closely for a moment before sitting at the foot of the bed.

"You get any sleep last night?"

Raegan shook her head again.

"There's nothing to do but wait Reg, so you might as well relax a bit. It might not happen."

"I don't think she'll wait that long."

Ronnie thought about it for a moment and had to agree.

"Either way, you won't be much help if you're half dead with hunger and exhaustion."