ASantiniinLoveMelissa Schroeder Page 5

She shoved both her hands through her hair. “He doesn’t believe me.”

  Dante stepped up to her. “Doesn’t matter. You know what you saw.”

  She closed her eyes. She couldn’t go through things like this again. During the worst times, she had issues with memory loss. Waking up not knowing where her clothes were, only to find them sitting in the tub, which had been unnerving. It had almost pushed her to use meds again, but she had worked hard to overcome that particular problem. When she opened her eyes, she found Dante there. His gaze was steady, telling her that he believed her. Something dislodged in her chest at the realization.

  “Excuse me,” Officer Ellis said, stepping back into the room. “I sent a patrol car to the area you told us you saw the murder.”

  “Shooting. I am not entirely sure she was dead.” But she felt that if the woman didn’t get to a hospital, she was as good as dead.

  “Yes, the shooting.”

  He said nothing and her irritation grew. Damned if he was going to make this easy on her. “And?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing. There isn’t a body or any indication there was a murder.”

  She couldn’t seem to get that to compute in her brain. “Wait, what?”

  “There was no body.”

  Panic was now tickling the back of her throat. “There has to be. Or at least some kind of sign that she had been shot.”

  The young officer shook his head again. “Nothing. No blood.”

  “Did you check the cameras in the area?” Dante asked.

  “Yes, but it shows nothing. Of course, the angle isn’t perfect.”

  “I know what I saw,” she said. “There was a man. He shot a woman and he came after me.”

  “I promise we will keep investigating, but I do have a few more questions for you.”

  Oh that didn’t sound good. “What?”

  He hesitated, then he straightened his shoulders. When he looked at her, regret filled his expression. “I understand you were also a Marine at one time.”

  “Once a Marine, always a Marine. There is no such thing as former,” Dante said.

  “Yes, well, there seems to be an indication you suffer from PTSD.”

  It was as if he ripped a scab off. She felt as though she had been punched in the chest. “You looked me up?”

  “When we get someone who reports a crime in an unusual manner and then there is no body, yes we do.”

  “I know what I saw. A man and woman were arguing, she pulled away, and then he shot her. I know he would have killed me if he had been able to reach me. I’m just thankful I was far enough away, and it was dark enough that he couldn’t probably see me any better than I could see him.”

  The officer shook his head. “Sorry, but there’s nothing I can tell you. If something comes up, I’ll give you a call. Don’t think I am blowing it off, but there is only so much I’m allowed to do.”

  He left, apologizing once again. It felt like a million tiny ants were moving over her flesh as she started to pace again. She knew what she saw. A man shot a woman. She couldn’t be losing it. Not again.

  She could hear the shot, but did she hear it? When she drove off, she was sure she had heard the noise, but what if she had just imagined it? She had been down that road before, one that had left her no choice but to enter the hospital to get help. Madison didn’t believe life would be that cruel to her. She had just climbed out of that deep, dark hole in the last year. She wasn’t fucking going back.

  “It’s kind of late, so why don’t you bunk in the extra room?” Dante asked.

  “Can’t.” What the hell was she going to do? If Dr. James got a hold of the information, he might suggest meds to her again and she would not do that. Or worse. He could suggest going back in the hospital and she would die before she would do that again. She couldn’t deal with that—not again.

  “You need to have someone around.”

  She shook her head and started to gnaw on her thumbnail again. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I need to go back to my place. Be in my house.”

  Even she could hear the panic in her voice. Her heart was pounding against her chest, her head was spinning, and she felt the panic attack coming on. The black spots were there before her eyes again.

  Dante stepped forward. “Okay. Then I go with you.”

  She stopped and looked at him. She wanted to tell him no. No one she knew well had seen her lose it. Sure the doctors and nurses, but she had kept it from her family and friends. It was the one thing she had been able to do. People knew she had gone loony; they just didn’t know the extent of it. Until tonight, she had been sure she wanted to keep it that way.

  “Can you tell me you can make it across town okay?”

  She sighed and shook her head.

  “Besides, there’s a shooter out there who might or might not have seen you. You shouldn’t be alone tonight.”

  The enormity of what he said hit her. “You believe me.”

  “I have known you for enough years to know that you are telling me the truth. You saw a woman get shot.”

  He kissed her nose as if it were the most natural thing to do. That was not a good sign. Dante now thought he could kiss her when he wanted to. And what kind of lunatic was she that she didn’t want him kissing her?

  “Don’t frown,” he said.

  “You need to stop kissing me.”

  “Now that is just a silly request.” He winked. “I’m a damned fine kisser.”

  She opened her mouth to argue but how could she. He was a damned fine kisser.

  “Let me grab a few things and we’ll head on over.”

  He walked off and she shook her head. The man thought he was in charge of everything. And that was one of the things that had irritated her in school. Now he thought he needed to be around to make sure she was safe.

  Something shifted in her chest again. It had been a very long time since someone had wanted that job. Madison couldn’t seem to stop the smile that curved her lips.

  Damned Santini.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Dante glanced over at Madison as he drove her Jeep. She stared out the passenger side of the vehicle and pretended to ignore him. It was a tactic he’d dealt with a huge chunk of his life. His sister was fantastic at giving the silent treatment. When they were adolescents, he would often tick her off enough so that she would shut the hell up. This time, though, he didn’t want Madison to be quiet. He wanted her talking. He thought the best way to do that was to give her a few minutes to cool down.

  Madison wasn’t really happy at the moment, but Dante didn’t give a damn. She had been close to losing it tonight. He was pretty sure she probably wouldn’t slip over the edge, but with the rate of suicides and near suicides in returning military members, Dante wasn’t about to leave her alone. Every Marine needed someone to have their backs. He didn’t even want to contemplate why he really needed to be there. Sure, Marines watched out for their own, but there was something deeper there. It went beyond their former relationship. Dante wasn’t quite sure where it would lead them, but he had an overwhelming feeling he’d been struck by the Santini curse. And he wasn’t all that happy about it.

  He avoided the area she said she saw the murder. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure if she really saw a murder, but he knew she believed it. That was all that mattered.

  “You really didn’t need to take me home.”

  It was the first set of words she had strung together since they started the journey from his house. Dante didn’t respond. He’d watched his father and his uncles in action. He knew better than to engage at this point. She would use any excuse for a fight. Dante would be okay with an argument because he was pretty sure another one would end up with them kissing. And maybe more. A whole lot more.

  He shifted in his seat trying to get more comfortable. Of course, it was almost impossible. He was halfcocked just thinking about kissing her and taking her to bed. Every ti
me he moved, the zipper of his jeans brushed against his burgeoning erection.

  “And I don’t like the fact that you decided you needed to drive.”

  Even her bitching at him didn’t do the trick. If anything, it heightened his need to touch her. Arguing with her had changed from something irritating to something that aroused him.

  He was so screwed.

  Charlie set his chin on her shoulder. When she raised her hand to pet her companion’s head, he noticed it shook. He wasn’t going to mention it though.

  “I just thought you should have someone with you. What if the guy figures out who you are and decides to get rid of you, his only witness?”

  There was a beat of silence. “I can take care of myself.”

  He turned onto her street. “I know you can. Hell, you almost bested me in some of the drills.” For his younger self, it had been humiliating. Being attracted to her made it even worse. Now, though, he felt a strange sense of pride that she could hold her own. “But what kind of Marine would I be if I expected you to have your own back? And, if my mother ever found out…well, I don’t even want to think about that.”

  Another small space of silence, then he felt her relax. She sighed. “It always makes me laugh how afraid all of you are of the women in your family.”

  He pulled into her driveway. “Seriously, you’ve seen some of them in action. They’re damned scary. Look at Elena. She’s always been much scarier than I am.”

  “Not true. And I am going to tell her you said that.”

  The irritation in her voice had faded.

  “Elena tells everyone she is scarier than I am. She’s proud of the damned fact.” He switched off the engine and turned to face Madison. Even though the streetlight was weak, he could see that her breathing continued to be shallow and her face still pale. “It’s one night. After tonight, maybe we can sort this all out. But you need some rest.”

  She sighed again. “Damned Santini.”

  She turned to get out of the Jeep, but he set his hand on her arm. She looked down at his hand then up at him.

  “Maybe, for my peace of mind, I would rather I was here tonight. There probably isn’t an issue, but I would really hate if something did happen and I let you handle it yourself.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Your charm doesn’t work on me.”

  He smiled. “It does a little. I mean, admit it. I am pretty damned charming.”

  She rolled her eyes and got out of the Jeep, but not before he saw her lips twitch. Charlie jumped out behind her. Dante grabbed his overnight bag and followed her.

  The moment he stepped into the house, he felt the difference. This was an open space. He knew she had been living there for only a couple months as a renter, but all the colors were cool and neutral. Soft blues and greens dominated most of the walls. He immediately felt lighter.

  The hallway had a nightlight that was so bright he blinked. Even from where he was standing in the foyer, he could tell Madison had more of those nightlights throughout the house. Little bubbles of light filled the space.

  She hesitated then reached over to the hall light. She turned it on and off a few times. Then, he heard the deadbolt lock and unlock the same amount of times. He now understood why she didn’t want him there. When he looked at her, Dante could read the shame on her face. He didn’t say anything. He just acted as if she had turned on the light.

  “I have a guest room, but it only has a twin bed.”

  She slipped her shoes off at the door and he did the same. Both of them had spent time at Asian bases throughout their youth. It was another thing they had in common.

  He could almost feel her irritation and a trace of the embarrassment. Dante decided both of them needed to lighten the mood.

  “I thought maybe I should do some up close and personal protection.”

  She crossed her arms and cocked her head. “And really, that works with women? You must definitely date some very sad women.”

  “I don’t leave any of them sad.”

  She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip. He could tell she was trying not to laugh.

  “I thought you’d have a better line than that.”

  He stepped closer. He could smell her then. Faintly, the essence of Madison mixed with the night air filled his senses. It left him off balance and definitely even more aroused.

  “When you have the moves, you don’t always have to have great lines.”

  He didn’t touch her with his hands as he leaned down to brush his mouth over hers. Just like before, he felt that rush, the one that left him slightly heady and ready to push her against the wall and take her right then. He could just imagine how her flesh would feel against his. She had one of those deep voices that would drive him insane when she moaned his name as he pressed his cock into her. Every hormone screamed for relief, urging him to act on the fantasy.

  Instead, he pulled back, savoring the taste of her on his lips again. Now, though, he did touch her. He lifted his thumb to rub it against her lower lip. “I’ll bunk on the couch then. I’d rather be out here and keep an eye on things.”

  Plus, if she was in the room next to his, just a couple feet away, he would have a hell of a time controlling his impulses tonight. Even being on the couch was going to make it hard to control himself.

  “Okay, but just understand this doesn’t mean anything.”

  He nodded and followed her down the hall. He was still dizzy from the kiss and the lack of blood in his brain. Madison packed a punch he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to resist.

  Dante was afraid it didn’t just mean anything, but it could mean everything.

  * * * *

  Madison paced the floor of her bedroom. Her heart rate was still up, her nerves frazzled from the night’s events. Charlie was with her, walking beside her. Every now and then, he would rub his snout against her bare leg.

  She shoved a shaking hand through her tangled hair, wincing when one of her fingers caught on a particularly nasty knot.

  “Damn.”

  She heard the floor creak outside of her door.

  “Madison?”

  Dante.

  Having him in her house wasn’t the best thing to help her relax. She was anxious and embarrassed. Or anxious because of being embarrassed. She kept most of her OCD issues at bay, but tonight…it was too much to ask of her. He didn’t say anything or react in any way. He acted as if nothing had happened. Nor did he mention the multitude of nightlights she had around the house. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

  “What?”

  He hesitated. “I thought I heard you say something.”

  She rolled her eyes. Since he’d forced her to bring him home with her, he’d been all up in her business. The man just didn’t know how to accept she could take care of herself. And he wouldn’t quit kissing her. He really needed to stop doing that.

  “No. I didn’t say anything.”

  He hesitated. “Okay. Call if you need anything.”

  She listened to his bare feet pad down the hallway to the living room. The idiot wouldn’t even take the guest bedroom. He had insisted on sleeping on her couch.

  Damned Santini. They were all stubborn and irritating and…well, she hadn’t met one of the men who wasn’t straight up sexy and charming. And she had one sleeping on her couch. Most heterosexual women would kill for the chance. Hell, most of them would call her an idiot for not inviting him into her bed. Maybe she was….an idiot One thing was for sure, if she had, she’d have worked some of her nervous energy away.

  With a sigh, she sat on her bed. Charlie jumped up beside her. She ran her hands through his fur. It was an odd feeling having someone watch out for her. At the hospital, her parents had visited, briefly. They had come once and while she was sure her mother had wanted to come back, her father had been too busy to visit his only daughter.

  She pressed her palm against her chest trying to loosen the tightness that always seemed t
o appear when she thought of her parents. It wasn’t something she could solve, especially since her father refused to engage with her on the matter. She had failed him and he had moved on.

  With a sigh, she pushed those depressing thoughts away. The night had been filled with too much excitement, good and bad. Thinking about her issues with her father wasn’t going to help her sleep.

  At least, she knew for one night, she had someone watching out for her on her couch. She couldn’t stop her lips from curving. The man was really a pain in the ass, but how could she fight him? He was right. He was charming and—dammit—an excellent kisser. He would make sure she would be okay through the night, both physically and mentally.

  Of course, she wasn’t sure who would protect her from him.

  Pushing that thought away, she slipped under the covers. Charlie lay next to her as she settled her mind and tried to get some sleep. All her worries could be dealt with tomorrow.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The doorbell rang just after nine in the morning. Dante growled and tried to ignore it. He shifted from one side to the other trying to get comfortable. Then, he rolled over. He lost his balance and landed on the wooden floor, his face smacking against the hard surface.

  “Freaking hell.”

  There was a dog barking, and he realized it was Charlie. He lifted his head and looked around. His head was still spinning as he placed his palms on the floor and heaved himself up.

  Knocking started next.

  Irritated, and in pain from sleeping on the couch and falling on the floor, Dante stomped to the front door. Without looking to see who it was, he unlocked it and yanked it open. Then he blinked.

  His sister stood next to JT on the stoop. The bright light seared his eyes and, dammit to hell, he wasn’t in the mood for humans—especially one that could get under his skin better than anyone else.

  “What?” he said.

  It was their turn to blink.

  “Dante?” Elena asked, pulling off her sunglasses. She definitely looked like she was suffering from a hangover. “What are you doing here?”