The car bumps along the front pavement of the mansion, driving in behind other cars of my family— save for Blake and Eliza, both on trips abroad with their significant others—including Zane's black Audi.
I gasp at the low sleek car, opening my passenger door as Luca parks his Jeep wagon, running to Zane's car. I inspect it, confirming my previous suspicions. "He has next year's model." I remark in disbelief.
Gravel and leaves crunch below boots before warmth presses against my back, forceful enough to drive my hips into the side of the car, a gasp leaving me for an entirely different reason now. "I'll buy you the next decade's model. Now stop drooling over Zane's fucking car unless you want me to bend you over the hood, shove this tiny fucking dress up, and make it fucking clear who you belong to. Then I'll push you on your fucking knees and give you something to drool on."
I whimper, clenching my thighs together, bucking against him. "Prove it." I pant, hearing his intake of breath before his fingers lightly graze my thighs, gripping the flesh in warning when I clamp them around him, desperate for friction.
"Luca?" A small voice questions, light footsteps tapping lightly, the slight crunch of gravel following.
"We'll finish this later." He whispers in my ear, before pushing off the car, pulling the amethyst silk of my dress further down.
Elliott appears on the other side of the car, clad in his own small pair of black dress pants and light blue tee shirt, deep brown hair falling over his face, large, green eyes peering up at us.
"Hey, El." Luca says, as if his fingers hadn't been inching away from my aching center only moments ago.
Elliott turns bright pink, ears becoming practically fire hydrant red. "No one but Nina calls me that." He mumbles, dropping his head so the strands of his hair can fall back onto his forehead. "Why are you back?" He questions at Luca, raising his eyes so he can watch Luca. Elliott's eyes widen when he realizes how perhaps rude he's been. "I mean, um. Well, my uncle James was saying to my mom that since you left that Vivi was on a, er, killing rampage."
My eyes widen. How does he even retain that information?! He's like... ten?!
Killing rampage. I mean, Jesus Christ. "I did no such thing." I scoff quietly, planting my hands on my hips to appear more confident in my answer.
Elliott grins, one of the rare occasions where his dimples come out, normally too shy to show any sort of emotion. "It's good you're back though." He drops his voice to a quieter volume and tugs on Luca's jacket sleeve, pulling him into a squat. Elliott's eyes slant to me, before returning his gaze. "Vivi was blue but she's not anymore."
My god. I adjust the large leather coat around me. This kid really knows how to pull at people's heart strings. "I know." Luca replies quietly, but loud enough so I can hear. "But you can count on me to make sure that anyone that makes her feel that way again will regret it." Luca's words take on a darker tone near the end of the sentence, the implication obvious to me but not to Elliott.
"You mean killing them, right?" Elliott clarifies.
Or not.
"Elliott!" Mary's shrill voice rings through the dark sky, so loud I can imagine the water rippling at the base of the fountain placed in the middle of the pavement.
She breathes a sigh of relief when her eyes latch onto him, bolting over to us to gently take his hand. She blows wisps of her hair out of her face, crouching down to chastise him about leaving, quiet enough that I can only register a few words along the lines of "running out" and "worried".
