Standing By (Road House) by Madison Stevens Page B

of her neck.
    “It’s not really like that with Emilio. We all knew something was eating him. There was all this trouble with Max, but he was so irritable.” Maria snickered. “Mama was ready to box his ears if he came home stomping around. We figure lately it’s all been because of you.”
    Pan blushed. It likely had been all from her.
    “So tell me about Detective Maxwell.” Pan leaned in a little, doing an exaggerated whisper. “Is he really as beefy as seems?”
    This time it was Maria’s turn to blush.
    “I wouldn’t really know.”
    “Oh? With the way he looks at you, I’m surprised he hasn’t pinned you to the wall and had his wicked way.” Pan tossed her a saucy grin.
    Maria blinked several times in shock.
    “He looks at me?”
    “Only like you’re the icing on his favorite cake.” Pan sat up and stared at Maria. “You really didn’t notice? That man has it bad. Real bad.”
    Maria gave her the brightest smile she’d ever seen and bounced on the bed a few times.
    A knock at the door broke their camaraderie.
    “Dinner,” Emilio said from the other side of the door.
    Maria jumped off the bed and bounced out of the room.
    “What’s she so happy about?” Emilio stared after his sister as she skipped down the hall.
    “Beefy men seem to have that effect on girls,” Pan said as she skipped after Maria.
    “Wait, what?”
    Pan laughed as she raced down the stairs, feeling the lightest she had in ages.
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    Emilio jumped at the noise coming from the kitchen. He’d had a hell of a time falling asleep. The raging hard-on from earlier had only slightly gone away but returned full on every time he closed his eyes and saw Pan sink her fingers into her greedy pussy.
    The sound of the door had him up with a pair of pants on in nothing flat. He tucked one of the guns in the band and crept down stairs. The kitchen light was on, but there didn’t seem to be anything out of place. He crept to the door and slipped out into the cool night air.
    He could see Pan silhouetted on the bottom stair. The breeze blowing her long hair. He loved the look of her in his gray sweat pants and the tiny little tank his sister had given her.
    He plopped down beside her only to be sucker punched in the gut.
    “What the fuck,” he gasped, bending over.
    “Oh, Emilio, I’m so sorry.” She rubbed the spot she had just hit. The movement less soothing and more erotic than it should be.
    He took her hands into his and pulled her to his chest.
    “What are you doing out here?” he said. The night air had caused her skin to get goose bumps. The angle he was at, he could see the hard pebbles of her nipples and knew she wasn’t wearing a bra.
    Pan shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”
    Emilio rubbed her shoulders in comfort.
    “You don’t need to worry. I’ll take care of you.”
    Pan turned and looked him in the eye.
    “I know,” she said. She bit her lower lip and turned away slightly. “It was really more like frustrated and can’t sleep.”
    Emilio groaned and tightened his grip on her.
    A sound to the left had him up without thinking. He stepped in front of Pan and felt her stand behind him.
    “You think it’s them?”
    A shot ricocheted off the side of the house as Pan spoke. Emilio threw himself over her. They both crashed to the ground. He reached behind and pulled a gun out. Keeping in mind where the sound had been, he fired at the bush near the line. Answering gunfire flew through the air. Emilio pulled the trigger several more times until he heard someone curse. If it hadn’t been so damn dark, and if Pan wasn’t with him, he would have followed the shooter. The son of a bitch had to be stopped.
    “Are you all right?” Pan said from under him.
    He sat up, pulling her with him. “I’ve got to call Detective Maxwell. Go inside and make sure everyone is okay. Then have them all pack a bag. We’re not safe here.”
    Pan hurried inside as he pulled out his phone and flipped it