Miles Away (Carrion #1)(26)

She knows all about her father. She doesn’t need me to educate her on that.

“What’s all this grumbling about down here!” Dustin asked as he walked down the steps in a pair of black lounge pants and a white tank top.

“Hey, Dust…” Knox said waving to his brother.

“I haven’t seen your ass since Christmas…” Dustin said casting his brother an annoyed look. “What brings you around?”

“I was in the neighborhood,” Knox insisted.

“Mmmmhmmm. Yup. Sure,” Dustin said clearly not believing a word his brother said.

Suddenly, the front door slammed open again.

“Jesus Christ, this place is like Grand Central Station tonight!” Michael yelled.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately ate them.

Landon’s deep voice called out from the foyer, “We’re home. Guess who’s here!”

But as Landon crossed the entryway of the parlor and met eyes with Knox, he knew that there was a huge problem. Gently pushing Landon aside, Miles Capadonno walked into the room with the weight of everyone’s gaze upon him.

“Shut the f*ck up!” Dustin yelled out as he landed his eyes on his brother Miles.

Miles nodded at Dustin and smiled. He gave his sister Sasha a kiss on her head. His eyes avoided Knox completely. Miles’s eyes quickly zoned to Letty’s face. He didn’t smile. He didn’t grimace. He gave Letty no clue as to what he was thinking.

Letty felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her heart sped in her chest. As her eyes collided with Miles’s gaze, she dropped both glasses to the floor, shattering them into a million pieces.

Breathe, Letty. Breathe. He looks different than I remember, but all I can see is those eyes and the fierce stare that holds me hypnotized.

“Letty,” he said in a deep voice so full of hunger and inflection that the sound of it nearly caused Letty to explode on the spot.

Stepping over the broken glass, Letty moved towards him, unsure of what she would say or do. She felt dizzy. The room felt like it was spinning fast around her.

He stands at six and a half feet tall, with muscles and brawn and tattoos. I want to run my fingers through his long soft beard. The man is six feet six inches of lickable, f*ckable tantric ink, attitude and muscles.

Letty’s cool was shaking out of control as Miles cut the distance between them.

It is taking everything in my power to keep myself from fainting like an idiot. It has been seventeen years since I’ve seen Miles’s face. I’m not the scared, skinny little teenager that he left behind. I have curves. My curves have curves. He probably thinks I’m disgusting. I’m also not the same sweet little girl I was before. He took a piece of me, and left behind a broken woman. When I didn’t hear back from him, I was crushed. I was willing to wait. I was willing to support him and stick by his side. He sealed our fate when he forgot about me.

Letty breathed heavily as tears began to well in her eyes. Miles inched closer and Letty began freaking out. An ache in her chest panged as the man that was her everything stood right before her looking nothing like she remembered. It made her realize how much time they had lost. The thought ripped Letty’s heart out. Despite all her strength earlier, despite her resilience in not running in the face of danger, Letty panicked. Grabbing her bag off of the console table, Letty brushed by Miles without a hello.

“Letty!” Miles called.

Letty turned around and looked at him, her chest heaving with the stress of the situation. Miles’s eyes were so full of hurt and need that it broke Letty’s heart all over again.

I’m having a full blown panic attack.

“Letty! Wait!” Miles called out with deep concern in his eyes.

I can’t.

Letty crashed out the front door feeling like a complete idiot. Her panic was raging out of control.

I’ve been waiting my entire adult life for this moment, and now I’ve blown it. I wouldn’t be surprised if Miles never talks to me again.

Standing on the front steps of the Capadonno mansion, Miles called out to Letty again, but she was too embarrassed and mortified to turn around.

Why the f*ck am I freaking out? I can keep calm in a room full of mobsters but in the face of Miles, I crumble. Why am I breaking? Why am I crumbling when this was the day I looked forward to for my entire adult life? The one thing I vowed never to do again is the one thing that caught me up. I promised myself I wouldn’t trip into any feelings. I’m stronger than this. I’m smarter than this. What the f*ck is happening? It’s like I am a teenager all over again. The fact of the matter is, I never stopped loving him.

As Letty approached her red Acura that was parked along the Capadonnos’ long driveway, she felt a rough hand grip her arm. Whipping her around to face him, Miles grabbed the lapels of Letty’s jacket and pulled her in close to him.

“I don’t know what you’re runnin’ from, but it sure as hell ain’t me,” Miles said in a growl of a voice.

Miles’s face didn’t look angry. He looked deeply concerned. Tears rushed down Letty’s face as she faced Miles for the first time in almost two decades. Fear and panic, mortification and relief all rushed through her body at once.

“You might not love me. You might hate my guts… but Letty, I have never stopped loving you.”

Not allowing her to get a word in, Miles’s mouth rushed Letty’s, pressing her up firmly against her car. His tongue licked the tip of Letty’s own and as she clenched his white t-shirt, the faintest of growls ripped from his throat.