Page 33 of Love Bites (Timber Creek #2)

CHAPTER 33

MAX

The smell of lemon roused me, and I leaned in, inhaling deeply. My hands tightened around Summer’s waist, pulling her back across the bed into my front until no part of us wasn’t touching. Once I’d read the letter and the pack howls had quieted for the night, I’d relocated us to her bedroom.

“You’ve been hanging out with too many wolves to be sniffing me like this,” Summer rasped in her sleepy morning voice.

I smirked, cracking my eyes open. Warm sun rays peeked through the blinds, washing Summer’s bedroom in a hazy glow, bringing all the colors to life. “I can see the appeal when you smell like a lemon poppyseed muffin. Makes me want to take a bite.”

Propping my head up, I brushed the hair on her neck aside, then grazed my teeth across her shoulder. She reached behind her, running her fingers through my hair as she tipped her head back to give me better access.

Laying gentle kisses across her neck and shoulder, I slid my hand down her naked torso, feeling her body squirm under my touch. She was always so responsive, this wife of mine, and I fucking loved it.

As my fingers dipped between her legs, she let out a soft moan. “Didn’t get enough of me last night?” she said with a breathy chuckle, her eyes cracking open as she looked over her shoulder at me.

“I’m starting to think that’s impossible, sunshine.” I slid my fingers back and forth across her sensitive skin, loving every sound she made.

Somewhere in my mind I knew I didn’t have time for these lazy touches. We had things to do before we could leave town and head to Italy, but with my hands on her soft skin, I couldn’t think of a single reason any of it had to be right this minute.

Her phone alarm chimed then in insistent opposition.

“Cinnamon roll o’clock?”

With a soft chuckle, she laced her fingers between mine and pulled me upright. “I mean, I’d like to if we have time. You said yourself, River runs the show around here, and I—” She swallowed, and her chin dipped on the words, eyes no longer meeting mine. “I promised I wouldn’t leave her like her mother did. I can’t help but feel like in the eyes of a six-year-old, that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Just like that, the weight of everything ahead of us slammed down on my shoulders. I swallowed around a lump in my throat, my heart racing for an entirely different reason than just a few minutes ago. I hadn’t heard from Rhain again since last night, and the meeting wasn’t until this evening. If I was working alone, I’d be there already, scoping it out for the best strategy.

But I wasn’t alone.

If something happened to me later today, it wouldn’t really matter. A few weeks ago, I might have even said no one would even notice my absence. But Summer… Her loss would be profound, not just for me, but for so many people. I was a selfish bastard for thinking my need for her trumped her need for the rest of the people in her life.

I stood, tipping her chin back up. The moment our eyes met, I leaned in to kiss her. “She’s important to you, so she’s important to me. We have time.”

A wide grin spread across her face, and my heart lurched at the sight. Somewhere in the last few weeks, my priorities had shifted, and Summer’s happiness ranked higher than almost everything else. The world could crumble around us, and as long as Summer kept smiling like she was right now, I wasn’t sure I cared.

She was more than just beautiful.

She was mine.

I’d thought I’d known what chaos felt like. My life had led me into some pretty unpredictable situations, where danger lurked at every corner, and I’d always met those head-on.

Baking with half a dozen Larkins took ‘chaos’ to a whole different level.

“Behind!” River screeched at the top of her lungs, and I pushed my front into a cabinet just in time to avoid her clipping me with the giant bowl of dough she did not look big enough to carry by herself.

“Make way!” Summer was on her heels with an armful of ingredients, throwing me a wink before setting everything down on the counter.

She and River were in matching aprons with the Love Bites shop logo on the front, though River’s was sized for a child. Shoving a step stool over to the counter, River climbed up and stood at the ready for Summer’s instructions.

Leif was slicing oranges and making some fresh-squeezed orange juice. Aspen, Cooper, and their Aunt Hattie stood to the side talking, all of them shooting me sideways glances. West and Jade were preparing a bowl of fresh fruit salad, disgustingly in love as they fed each other blueberries. Terran stood near them in front of the stove, a huge pan of bacon sizzling delectably, and stirred up a bowl of eggs for omelettes.

“Hair, Riv,” he called over. His daughter threw her head back dramatically but pulled a scrunchie off her wrist, holding it out for someone to tie her hair up.

“Um, Max?” She waved the scrunchie in my face, pushing it into my cheek when I hesitated to take it from her.

Summer bit back a smile, not meeting my eyes as she readied ingredients for the cinnamon rolls. Terran was elbow deep in eggs. I glanced around for anyone else to help with this, because what the fuck did I know about kid hair? Cooper leaned against a counter, his stare deadly flat. “We’re busy.” After a beat, he picked up a few rags, handing one each to Aspen and Hattie too. “Cleaning.”

Heath chuckled as he pivoted on his heel and called out, “Getting more coffee beans!” before heading to the storage room.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but accepted this manipulation for what it was. I could do this.

It was just hair. I had hair.

River launched the hair tie, hitting me square in the eye. “Hurry, angel boy! Aunt Summer will do it all without me!”

“You’ve been around Aspen too much, little Larkin,” I told her as I stepped behind the tiny girl, her blonde curls swaying as she faced forward. Her misplaced confidence that I knew how to do this was both startling and endearing.

I slowly gathered River’s hair, careful not to tug too hard, and fully ignored the amused glances Summer and Terran shot me.

Once I’d slid the scrunchie on and tightened it, I stepped back. It was a little lopsided, and I’d missed a few strands somehow — River was not a still child — but she didn’t seem to care.

“Thanks, Uncle Max!”

She immediately dove in to helping Summer form the cinnamon rolls, oblivious to the crack she’d rent in my heart.

Uncle Max?

Fuck. I didn’t know how to feel.

No, I did. It hurt .

But it was almost… good. A good hurt.

Thoughts I’d never let myself ponder entered my mind, the idea of a future that wasn’t so alone, of a family like this one. I blinked, trying to squash the images flitting into my brain as fast as they came on.

Summer must have noticed I was having a moment, because she stepped over and bumped her hip against mine.

“Hey, Uncle Max,” she said, a smile playing on her lips. “Grab us a sugar bowl, would you?”

I swallowed heavily, determined to hide the effect a few tiny words had had on me, and nodded. “Sure thing, sunshine.”

After breakfast, River insisted we all play Jenga out in the café.

The whole game, I kept mulling over my mother’s letter. Faced with the warmth and open arms with which the Larkins embraced me — except maybe Hattie, who never took her predatory gaze off me — her words seemed even colder. Even more impersonal.

For whom the bell tolls . I knew the book. Something about the Spanish civil war.

Was she trying to tell me something about the unrest with the vampires? History repeating itself — maybe a hint about a vampire civil war coming? That didn’t seem totally far-fetched — étienne’s group certainly seemed ready for one.

But if my heritage was any indication, didn’t vampires have more connections to Italy, not Spain?

“Max! Your turn!” River stomped her foot, impatient with me for holding the game up, lost in my thoughts.

I tugged out a piece, and River shrieked with glee with the top half of the tower toppled.

I paused, piece still in my hand. Tower…

Picturing the letter in my mind again, I went back to the beginning. Where she’d called me Massimo Marco , which wasn’t even my middle name.

But… maybe that was another clue.

Suddenly, I was sure it was a coded message, the certainty settling over my bones. The pieces were there , I just needed to put them together.

“So,” came a barked voice beside me. Hattie settled into a chair, tugging it closer to our table and crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re the angel who eloped with my niece.”

I looked up at the Larkin males who all knew my secret, but they all avoided my eye contact. There was something about the way she said the word. Something sarcastic.

I’d be lying if I said Hattie wasn’t a little bit terrifying. She was like something out of an old school Western, tough like an Annie Oakley. I half expected to find a set of pistols strapped to her hips under the table, but the energy coming off her told me her wolf was a weapon in its own right. Her long grey hair was braided back, her eyes sharp and assessing, like she’d be ready to attack on a moment’s notice.

I sat up straighter before I realized I was doing it. “Yes, ma’am.” I’d never called anyone ma’am in my life, but hell if I wasn’t going to show this woman all the respect in the world.

Hattie grunted, her nose twitching slightly. In amusement? Or was she scenting me?

“What makes you think you’re good enough for our Summer?”

“Hattie,” Summer admonished, shooting me an apologetic look.

“What?” Hattie asked, utterly un apologetic. “It’s a fair question.”

Summer opened her mouth to speak again, but I cut her off. “I’m not.”

Hattie arched a brow at my response, but didn’t say anything, so I went on.

“I’m not good enough for her. I don’t think anybody would be.” Summer’s hand found mine under the table, and I realized the conversations around us had all halted, all eyes on me. I kept my focus on Hattie. “Summer is the most remarkable person I’ve ever met. She’s kind, and thoughtful. She’s passionate about everything, smart as a whip. I don’t know why she’d want— ” I cut myself off, shaking my head. “There isn’t one person on this earth good enough for her, but she chose me. So, I’m going to trust her to know her own mind, and spend whatever time she gives me trying to be the man she deserves.”

Hattie’s eyes bored into mine as silence fell after my impromptu speech. I hadn’t meant to say all that, to bare my fucking soul, but the words had just spilled out. My hands turned clammy as I waited for judgment.

Finally, Hattie gave me the barest nod, and conversation erupted again.

“That was fucking beautiful,” Terran choked out, pretending to wipe a tear.

“Bad word, Daddy!” River called.

“I think I’m gonna cry,” Coop grunted, expressionless. I shot him a glare. The cat was a lot less scary now that I’d seen him scarf down three cinnamon rolls while barely taking a breath.

“Be honest,” Aspen said, “have you been reading Summer’s books?”

“Aw, leave my son-in-law alone, you barbarians,” Heath chuckled. “And you may want to read a few books too, you know. Lots to learn. Your mother loved to act out scenes from my books. How do you think I ended up with so many kids?” He waggled his eyebrows, and every one of his children pretended to gag.

Aspen looked green. “Oh my God, Dad.”

“I’m scarred,” Terran added, shaking his head.

Cooper merely pressed his eyes shut in horror.

Even Leif pointed a finger at him. “No more book club for you.”

Heath’s hands went up innocently. “What? It’s important to keep your mind active at my age, kids.”

Another round of uproar went through the group. But as the Larkins continued to give each other shit, all felt right in the world.

There was so much love here. So much goodness, so much heart, so much light.

Did they have room for shadows, too?

Did I want them to?

I was almost afraid to answer that, even to myself.

I closed the dishwasher, pressing to start it, when suddenly, things clicked.

Marco. The bell. Civil war, history repeating itself.

Bridges. Burning.

It wasn’t about Spain at all. I whipped my phone out, texting Rhain.

Max

They’re meeting in Venice, Doge Palace.

Saint Mark’s Basilica would be the bell tower. The bridges — she was trying to point me to Venice. The civil war, history repeating itself — Doge Palace had been the site of more than one instance of unrest. And once upon a time, there’d been a huge fire there, on the canal side where the apartments were.

Where dukes slept and fires lit the water .

This was it. We had an official location.

Now, we just had to overthrow the oldest, most powerful vampires in the world.