Chapter 53

I smiled but I didn't feel happy, I was terrified wondering what was around the next corner were we in danger? Who was watching me and why?

I swallowed my fear.

Answering Luca and laughing trying to act normal but finding it hard not to feel scared. I had to show them that I was okay with what was happening but deep down I wanted to run and hide.

I gripped Houston's free hand the other was wrapped around me. I was scared but I knew they wouldn't let anything happen to me. They were making me feel safe but I felt how tightly Houston's arm was around my waist not letting me walk without him keeping in step with me. Devin looked like he was enjoying a stroll on the pier but the way his eyes roamed the boardwalk and how he would casually look behind him to see if anyone was following and motioning to Luca when he felt a threat approaching us. I felt horrible that I had brought them into my problem and would try to let them off the hook once we got to Houston's house.

I could feel my heart start to beat faster as I tried to bite down the hysteria that was slowly rising inside of me. Dr. Ryan had taught me how to deal with anxiety and I had to believe what she taught me would be enough.

I couldn't fall apart now. I had to show them I was stronger than they gave me credit for.

Devin kept scanning the area around us and when someone would approach him he would tense up but once he recognized they were not a threat he shielded me between the stranger and himself with Luca and Houston completing the human wall that they would erect around me.

Luca tried to keep it light and kept us walking telling those that had called him or Devin out to leave a message at the bar that he had a girl to go see that she could be the one he'd been waiting for. His soulmate. Most laughed or said again. I gave him a stern look.

"All lies CJ I am not the man they are making me out to be ask Popeye I don't date much right bud."

Devin looked at Luca and tried to hide his smirk and Luca stopped.

"He's right he doesn't date much."

Luca smiled.

"But flirting, now that's a totally different answer, he is one of the biggest flirts known to man so dating not too much. Flirting… Got a couple of hours to burn Beautiful, I can tell you stories."

I giggled. Luca looked like he wanted to kill Devin Houston whispered, "You have got to stop with that giggle I might forget we have company."

I caressed his cheek and he kissed my hand then chuckled.

"Oh Carol's going to have her hands full with this guy. Little do they know your sister is just as big of a flirt as Luca. This might be a match made in heaven and we get front row seats."

Luca cleared his throat.

"Like I said earlier CJ my best bud here has been dropped on his head too many times to count and his long and short term memory is shot oh and he's just jealous that I have the knack to talk to the female sex but he can't do anything but growl at them ."

Devin shoved Luca and almost knocked him down.

"Not true Luca, he had some great lines earlier…"

Houston stopped and looked at me, "what lines?

Oops.

He turned to Devin and stepped right up to his face. They were eye to eye.

"Hey do I have to spell it out to you she's with me and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop going after my girl. Yeah my girl not yours or we might have to have a serious conversation regarding this."

I got in between them and turned to Houston.

"Houston stop I had gone to the bar looking for Star and he was charming but nothing happened okay? Now is not the time I want to get home before it starts to thin out here and we have lots of work to do and I for one want Devin and Luca to help us out. It's for the good of Star and Jake okay?" I turned to Devin. I am sorry I threw you under the bus that wasn't meant to be said and also no more flirting okay. I really want all of us to get along and we have other things to worry about. So truce and friends please."

They both saw that I was sorry and looking around my nervousness snapped them back to what was important.

Houston sighed and tapped Devin's shoulder and Devin nodded. Luca came behind me and whispered, "So I can still flirt with you right?"

I let out a loud laugh and hugged him. I needed that stress reliever and he smiled and asked questions regarding my sister and wanting to know more about his future wife.

He thought he had her number little did he know that my sis could run circles around him. She had men always trying to vie for her attention but she had her mind set on her goals and said men would always take a back seat to her priorities. She stated she was too young to settle down and had wanted to open another clinic to help the community she loved and worked in.

I told him she was a special lady and he had better bring his A game when it came to courting her.

"Come on CJ, tell me more about my future bride." Luca smiled.

He was incorrigible, Houston pulled me closer and whispered if I was okay, his concern tore at my heart but even if I told him I was he would still bear that burden, I was about to answer when Devin piped in.

"Beautiful if you want me to tell this love struck yahoo to back off I will be more than happy to tell him to shut up. I swear it's like he's never been attracted to an attractive woman."

I looked at Houston who was about to give Devin a piece of his mind, I knew it bugged him that Devin called me beautiful but it meant nothing, not that Devin wasn't a handsome man and if things were different if Houston had married Elizabeth and I had met Devin well who knows things might have been different. But the man I had secretly loved had professed his love for me after all this time and I wanted this so I pulled him down and kissed him. When I pulled away and hugged him Devin rolled his eyes and kept walking Luca staying off to the side.

"Be nice, he just wants to rile you up and you are letting him."

He leaned in, "You're my beautiful not his and I don't like him getting too familiar with this nickname and I haven't heard you say not to call you that so should I be worried?"

"No, you shouldn't be."

I shook my head and started to walk and called out, "Devin, let your pal pine away, he has a lot to prove not only to her but her family. We are very protective of our own and I hope he can stand the heat. Uncle Roy and Too Mean are forces to be reckoned with, ask Houston."

Houston groaned, "Yeah Luca they are a lot to handle, but she is a special lady and she will keep you on your toes."

Luca started to say why he was the man for my sis, he was acting like nothing was wrong but some of the lights on the boardwalk were off making our walk a lot darker. This just made all three of them go into full alert looking around for any threats, we were almost to Houston's place. They all got quiet and I felt the wall of men come around me.

I was thankful that we had run into Luca and Devin having them watching our back not that I didn't have complete faith in Houston but having these two intimidating mean lean fighting machines was enough to make anyone feel safe. We talked and Houston kept giving Luca cryptic clues and I had to laugh at some of what he was saying.

When Luca stopped and turned to me and said he'd get on his knees to beg me for some insight. I shrugged my shoulders and started to give him some background on Carol, giving him enough to be intrigued but not enough that I couldn't give my sister a heads up that he was truly smitten.

Like she didn't know she had seen him earlier in the day when he had come to Star's defense. I was sure she was delighted to know he was on our side. Luca was Carol's type blond, blue eyed and fit. She had a weakness for men like this and made sure she was the one in control.

He asked how long I had known her and I told him since college that we had lost touch but reconnected again when I was almost killed by Laurel and Hardy lookalikes and Carol and Maureen were next on the list.

Devin stopped as did Luca and stood in front of me.

"Wait what did you say? Laurel and Hardy and you were almost killed?" Devin growled out.

Luca followed, "Where are these comedians? I would like to have a word with them for trying to knock off my future wife. Darn CJ how many times have you been in these types of situations?"

I looked at Houston, I'd said too much I should have just kept it lite. I didn't like anyone poking around my past.

"Hey let's give my girl some air. I'm sure she's hungry and wanting to get to my house, yeah she's had some brushes with death, it comes with the type of work we do. Luca the men that tried to kill your future bride, well one is dead took a swan dive off the balcony of my penthouse office, the other three are serving life sentences for murder and attempted murder."

Devin gave me a look and I turned away, he was not happy and Luca caught his expression and decided to back off.

"Okay so I can't go and pound them into the ground but if you can tell me what facility they are residing in I might know a fellow or two that can assist me."

I grabbed both Devin's and Luca's hands. "Thank you for your concern but this is the past, yes we have had some brushes with death, but now isn't the time to talk about them. We will but not tonight okay?"

Luca squeezed my hand and kissed my forehead, "you're tougher than you look CJ, I see how you got the jump on my pal here. I can't wait till for you to tell us this story or maybe my new wife might give me some insight. Oh and Houston would love to hear what it's really like to be a private dick I was thinking of moving into that area but it sounds pretty hazardous."

Devin hadn't let my hand go, the emotions on his face were from anger to no expression at all. He turned to Houston, "Has it always been this dangerous? Did you ever think that maybe she shouldn't be doing this type of work damn man I thought you were smarter than this."

Houston stepped back and looked at me. He knew what was coming. I had lost boyfriends when this question came up when I was hurt and they had lashed out at Houston.

"Hey! Don't blame him. I wanted to do this job and I accepted all the danger as did Houston, you can't just come along and judge us. You haven't been in our situation and maybe we won't tell you what we've been through since you've made up your mind. Oh and don't even say because I'm a woman I shouldn't be doing this type of work. Remember, I kicked your ass just a couple of hours ago and if you keep this up I'll do it again."

Devin cursed, "I'm sorry."

Luca stumbled, "You apologized? Wait what? CJ did he just say I'm sorry? This man never apologizes; he is always right even when he's not. Oh Lord. Step back from him lightning's going to strike and we need to get to safety. So Popeye can I have you repeat this or wait Houston can you be my witness wait till I tell Tiny and Momma and Jeb and Dwayne and…"

Devin shoved Luca and he stumbled in the sand.

I was still angry as I watched Houston help Luca up. Devin came to me and let out a long breath he had been holding.

"I don't want you to take offense, it's just I don't like family being put in danger, cowboy told us a little of what you had been through. It was hard to hear but it gave me a better understanding of what happened to you. Sorry for being concerned but yeah call me a sexist or macho whatever, but I like to make sure the women in my life are safe not that you can't handle yourself but all it takes is one wrong move and…"

I nodded and looked away. I knew what he meant, I relive that moment in my mind when I thought I had gotten away from my captors in the garage only to let my guard down for that one second and it was lights out and 7 days of misery.

I shivered and he placed his hand on my shoulder. I stumbled back and he grabbed me.

"CJ? Breathe come on snap out of it you are here with me, Luca and Houston, I'm sorry for taking you to a bad spot come on beautiful speak to me."

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I started to shake not wanting to visit that nightmare. Right now I had enough going on and to curl up in a ball and cry my eyes out was not something I wanted to do.

Houston rushed over to us and was about to let Devin have it. I shook my head, pulled back from him and grabbed his Devin and Houston hands.

"I'm here Houston I just got into my head and disconnected for a second, I think I scared Devin and you. I'm sorry. Can we get going? I'm hungry and could use a nice glass of wine for these nerves of mine."

Devin let me go and I walked into Houston's embrace. He was whispering if I was okay. I nodded and he smiled and said let's go. He wanted a stiff drink and knowing we would be indoors would make him a whole lot happier.

We got to Houston's place and Devin and Luca looked at each other and Devin whispered to him told you.

"Told him what?" I looked at him wanting an answer and enjoying that he had gotten caught.

"Told him this had to be where Cowboy lived. These are the newer phase of housing and right by the marina, I'm sure he has a boat out there am I right?"

Houston nodded and told him what type of boat and that he tried to get out there as much as possible to get away from the daily grind.

"Fishing and drinking beer is the ultimate time off for me, oh and no phones that is a definite plus but I had to get a satellite phone for emergencies."

I ducked down, he was reminding me of what had happened the night of the storm when he couldn't find me and had nearly tore the hospital down looking for me.

Devin pointed at me, "Emergencies?"

"Yup but it doesn't work if a certain someone doesn't have her phone with her and I come home to my house over run with reporters, police and a crowd of busy bodies and her nowhere in sight. Yeah emergencies my foot."

"And on that note I'm going in."

I opened the door and I could hear laughter in the kitchen and the heavenly smell of Mamma Novelli's. I heard Will and Uncle Roy on the lower floor I peeked in and saw that they had connected the Tv's and VHS players they had 4 tables set up and Too Mean was viewing on one and Tiny the other. I came over to them and placed my hands on their shoulders.

"Hey lil Sis everything okay? I don't have to go teach Houston any manners now do l?"

Before I answered, the man in question came next to me and put his arm around me. "You doubt me Too Mean I am wounded everything is peachy right honey?"

Will popped up from under the table, "Did he just call you honey, Sunshine?"

I was about to answer when Uncle Roy came next to me, turned me around and looked me in the eye. "I hope those were happy tears you shed because if he hurt you and is trying to deflect Tiny said he'd help tar and feather Mattlock and then we can dump him in the middle of the ocean just say the word my favorite niece."

He kissed my temple and I dipped my head down. When Devin piped in.

"Oh Mr. Houston I can get behind that if you need some more muscle I'd be happy to provide myself to assist."

Uncle Roy smiled and both of them waited for me to answer.

I looked at Houston and saved him from this fate. "Everything went as usual."

Uncle Roy hung his head, "Tiny go get those feathers, Devin the Tar is in the garage."

I covered my mouth and started to laugh. Houston stood behind me and started to grumble, "Real funny Uncle Roy. It was a rocky start but being the patient, compassionate, smart forgiving of my faults woman she is, she gave me another chance and I am not going to squander it. We will get Jake taken care of and Star also so we are putting things on hold for a month then…."

I pulled away, "Nope it was 2 months not 1 you are going to keep trying to change that aren't you, nice try."

"So I don't have to wait that long till he messes up. I am a patient man, beautiful and anyone wants to bet money on this."

Will threw up his hands and pulled out a 20 from his pocket and handed it to Too Mean. "Not me. I had hoped he wouldn't screw this up and I lost. I won't be betting again darn Cuz how hard is it to tell a woman you are madly in love with her and to forget the past and live in the future with you?"

I smiled at Will and he went back under the table to continue his work. Houston opened and closed his mouth and I elbowed him to behave.

"Speaking of being madly in love, where's my future wife at?"

Too Mean and Uncle Roy turned around to look at Luca, Will bumped his head under the table, cursed and popped up again. Tiny shook his head and looked at Devin and said again?

They all looked at us and I pulled away from Houston, "So on that note I'm going upstairs, don't hurt him too bad Too Mean oh and Will he's talking about Carol not Maureen."

I escaped as all the questions started to erupt. This was going to be an interesting night and it made me forget of the danger we were all in for a bit.