The Puck Decoy

27. Josh

My mind is reeling as I stare down at her name on the piece of paper in my hands, yet still it doesn’t sink it. I have another sister, a little sister, a younger sister, one that I know, one that I spend time with regularly, and one I am only just finding out about. Penelope is my sister. I stare down at a picture of her birth certificate with her name right alongside Callia’s, the father’s name left conveniently blank, and when I flick my stare back to Lincoln, he passes me another piece of paper. This one is a DNA test that proves in black and white that she is my sister, well my half-sister.

I automatically start doing the math, and start shaking my head in disbelief even more. “Penelope is almost eight, Callia is in her early twenties,” I say out loud, trying to work out how much of a scumbag my father really is.

Lincoln clears his throat. “Callia Barratt did a summer internship for your father when she was sixteen. She worked under him for three months, and Penelope Barratt was born eight months later.”

Bile rises in my stomach. “She was a fucking child,” I spit in fury, as I start to pace back and forth behind the chair I vacated. “She was still in high school for fuck’s sake, and you’re telling me my father fucked her and got her pregnant?” I flick my stare back to the paper again and still I can’t believe it. “Does she know?” I ask, coming to a stop and focusing back on Lincoln. “Is Callia certain that my father is one hundred percent Penelope’s father?”

Lincoln nods. “She went to your father when she found out she was pregnant and he paid her off to have an abortion, but she took the money and left for a while. Since she’s been back I’m not sure if they have seen each other, but clearly your father knows she never had the abortion, because a deal is already in place for Penelope to marry when she comes of age.”

A deal, a fucking deal, that’s what it always comes down to with my father, doesn’t it? Not his children’s wellbeing, but what he can exchange them for in fucking business. I think back to the conversation I heard about him having to wait on a return for his investment and it’s only now that it makes sense. I thought by stepping in and marrying Hallie that I would end all of this, but clearly he is always one step ahead. Well, not this time. No, this time I won’t let him win, this time he doesn’t get to come out on top, and there will be no more fucking deals.

“Take him down,” I demand. “I don’t care what you do or how you do it, but I want my father gone and I want every single person in the state to know exactly what kind of man he is.”

Blood means nothing to me, not anymore, not when it comes to him, but for Maddie, and now for Penelope, I will do whatever I can to protect them, and to do that, he has to go.

Lincoln smirks, not a big one, but enough of one to tell me that to blow the horn on my father will be a pleasure. “Consider it done.”

I nod, gesturing to Hallie for us to leave because I don’t care about all the information found, as long as it’s enough to stop my father, but then I find myself halting in my tracks. “What about the marriage deal?” I ask, and Lincoln looks at me in question. “You said the deal was already done, so what about the man who has signed the deal for Penelope?”

I mean what kind of man signs a fucking marriage deal for a seven year old child?

Lincoln’s smirk turns completely dark and twisted as he replies, “Oh don’t worry, I’ll deal with him too, and it will be my pleasure.”

From the look in his eye I don’t think I want to know what that means, so instead I just nod and move to leave. “Call me when it’s going down,” I toss over my shoulder, knowing now with confidence that Lincoln can do this.

Hallie slips her hand into mine but I can’t even look at her right now, my mind is still reeling from all the information I just received, and there is only one place I know I need to go right now.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asks, rushing to keep up with me, while also waving goodbye to Eliza as we leave.

“What’s there to talk about, Hallie? It’s not like I wasn’t aware my father was a fucking piece of shit human, all that Lincoln confirmed in there is that more people were lying to me than I thought.”

I don’t mean to be angry towards her, but right now the only thing I can focus on is the fact that Callia has been bringing her daughter to my class for almost a year, and not once has she bothered to tell me who she really is. I’ve been teaching Penelope, driving her to the diner, having dinner with her, all ample opportunities for her mom to tell me she was my fucking sister, but she didn’t.

Opening the car door for Hallie, she climbs inside without a word, and then I jump in the other side. Silence stretches between us as we begin the drive back to Fairfield, and I can feel her staring at me, but my focus remains on the road.

“It’s okay to be mad, Josh,” she whispers, and all I can do is nod, because I am mad, and the last thing I want to do is take it out on her.

By the time we pull up at the diner, I know Callia will have already started her shift, and though Hallie has told me a hundred times that this is a bad idea, and that I need to calm down first, I can’t. Turning off the engine, I climb from the car and storm inside, Hallie hot on my heels, and as soon as we are through the door, Callia is smiling our way.

It only takes a second, one second for her to see the look on my face, and her entire relaxed persona changes, her eyes flicking around the diner as we approach her.

“You know,” she whispers, looking nervous, and even though I know she was a victim in all of this, I can’t help but still be mad at her.

“You mean I know that I have a sister that you never told me about? Yes, I know,” I spit, not caring how rude I am being right now.

“Josh I’m so sorry,” she breathes, looking both stressed and relieved as she leans over the counter slightly and lowers her voice. “I wanted to tell you a hundred times, but I was scared of what your father would do. I even almost told Maddie when she dropped off the fairy house for her the other day, but I just couldn’t get the words out.”

Hallie steps in closer beside me, and I know she is trying to show her support, but I don’t think even she can calm me down right now.

“It’s been almost a year, Callia. A year, since I have been coming here, since Pen has been coming to the center, and you couldn’t get the words out? What the hell am I supposed to do with that?” I snap back. “She’s my sister and I didn’t know, for the last year I’ve been teaching her. I didn’t know, for the last seven years.” I add, shaking my head as I try to keep control of my temper.

I have been looking out for Maddie before I was old enough to even know what being a big brother meant, I just knew I had to protect her, it was in my blood. The weight of my wedding ring feels heavier than usual as I remember just how far I am willing to go to protect her, and all the while there was another little girl left defenseless.

Before she can respond, a man appears like a ghost beside me, placing a firm hand on my shoulder, “She said sorry, so why don’t you take a step back.”

His voice is firm and full of authority and Callia looks nervously towards him and mutters, “Angel, it’s fine, really.”

The man, Angel, whatever kind of name that is, doesn’t even look at her as he responds, “No, it’s not fine.”

I look him up and down, noting he is around the same age as me, yet his eyes look far more haunted, as I reply “And you are?”

Now his stare flicks to Callia and then back to me before he replies, “Just a concerned stranger.” Which is complete bullshit because I just heard her refer to him by name, but whatever.

I open my mouth to tell him this is a family matter and to mind his own business, but before I can get the words out, another voice hits my ear. “Josh, Hallie!” Penelope squeals, coming from the direction of the bathroom, and my entire world shifts.

When I lock eyes with the little girl I instantly see it. I mean, it’s so obvious I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier. Hallie even said after she first met her that she reminded her of Maddie as a kid, and she’s right. The blond hair, the blue eyes, the perfect amount of sass and shyness, they are so alike that I can’t believe I missed it. I’ve always liked her, but when I look at her now I don’t just see my favorite kid in my class, I see my sister. She’s a part of me, and always will be, and right then the anger just seems to slip away.

“Hey, Pen,” I manage to choke out before clearing my throat, and I can practically feel Callia’s panic from across the counter. “How are you doing? Your mom said you’ve been sick.”

Penelope doesn’t stop until she climbs onto the stool I am standing next to, and it’s only then I notice the discarded book and milkshake. “I’m feeling better, but I’m sad I had to miss class yesterday,” she tells me with a smile, and all I can do is stare at her in disbelief.

She’s my little sister.

It’s only then that Hallie squeezes my hand three times. Are you okay?

And I don’t know if I am, but instead of answering her, I keep my focus on Penelope. “Well I have the keys to the center, so maybe one day this week we could have an extra lesson since you missed out,” I tell her, and her eyes widen in excitement, and when I flick my gaze to her mom, she is watching us with a soft smile.

“Oh my god are you serious?” she gasps, looking to her mom for approval. “Can I Mom, please?” she pleads, and Callia nods.

“Of course you can, sweetheart,” she sighs, and I know she must be struggling to keep her emotions in check the same way I am.

“Yay, you’re the best,” Pen tells her, and as if Hallie can feel the tension between us, she quickly steps in.

“What are you reading this week?” she asks, as I nod my head towards the other end of the counter, gesturing to Callia for us to speak alone.

We both move in unison until we can’t be heard by the little girl, and when we come to a stop she is the first to speak. “Josh, I’m sorry that you had to find out this way, but Penelope and I have basically always been on our own, and I planned to keep it like that. When a friend told me about the class your name wasn’t even mentioned, it was only when we arrived that first night that I realized, and by that point she was already too excited and I didn’t want to ruin it for her.” I can hear the desperate plea in her voice for me to believe her, and I can’t help but feel bad for how I came blazing in here. “I’m sure you’ve seen by now what a shy kid she is and you guys just clicked, and well, I wanted her to have her family, even if she didn’t realize it.”

It’s only then I take a step back and truly think about what happened. She got pregnant when she was sixteen, and all my father did was try and erase his mistake. She has raised Penelope alone ever since, and I have seen how amazing she is at that and she’s barely older than I am. The last thing she needs is me making her life more complicated, especially after what my father has already done to her.

“No, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come in here the way I did, the whole thing just took me by surprise and I lost my cool, like father like son I guess,” I huff, taking a seat at the counter in front of her, and just taking a second to let myself absorb all of this.

I’m surprised when her hand comes out to rest on top of mine as she replies softly, “Josh, you are nothing like your father, trust me.” Her tone is firm, and I see the truth and pain behind her eyes and it kills me.

What happened between them? Did he rape her? Take advantage of her? There are a hundred awful scenarios floating around in my head, and I can’t leave here without knowing the truth.

“How bad was it?” I let myself ask. Her knowing smile is sad as she pulls back her hand, flicking her eyes to the side towards the man who interfered in our conversation, who is still watching us silently.

“Not as bad as you’re thinking,” she tells me firmly, offering me little relief. “I had a shitty childhood and your dad took a chance on me. He made me feel special, and I was young, stupid, and smitten. It took me giving birth to realize what a dumb kid I had been and well, by that point I wasn’t on my own anymore, so I didn’t have time to feel sorry for myself.”

This time when I look at her I feel no sorrow, because the only thing staring back at me is a strong woman who did what she could to survive the hand she was dealt. Do I wish I would have known about Penelope earlier, so I could have helped her more than I already have? Of course, and going forward I will do whatever I can to make their life better, and that starts with erasing the stain of my father.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry you had to deal with all that alone.” I slide off the stool, ready to head back to the girls, but once again Callia places her hand on top of mine, halting me in my tracks.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad she has you as her brother, even if she doesn’t know it yet.” Emotion clogs my throat at her words, and all I can do is nod in response.

Yet.

When I move back to Hallie and Penelope they are deep in conversation about the book, and Callia laughs at how animated they are both being, telling us she will bring us our usual. Which is how I find myself having yet another dinner with my favorite student, only this time it’s with my sister too. We make plans to have an extra lesson during the week, and I tell her I will invite Maddie along too, she is going to hit the roof when she finds out about this, but Penelope is ecstatic at the news. Callia is more relaxed than I have ever seen her as we say goodbye, and it’s already harder than normal to say goodbye to Pen too.

It’s why I can’t help but pull out the burner phone from Lincoln and shoot off a text to him.

Josh: Take him down whatever means necessary but the girl remains untouched and off limits.

His reply is instant.

Unknown : I wouldn’t do it any other way

By the time we make it back to the house I can tell Hallie is worried, and though my shock has dissipated, my anger is still palpable. Not towards Callia or her situation, but at the whole way my father dealt with it and kept it hidden. He knew, he knew Penelope existed, and instead of letting us get to know her as a sister, his only interest was marrying her off to the highest bidder.

“How are you feeling?” Hallie asks softly, as we push into my room and I close the door, and honestly, I’m not even sure how to answer her.

“I don’t know,” I tell her truthfully, knowing she will value my honesty over anything else, and she smiles softly, as I take a seat on the end of my bed and drop my head into my hands.

She comes to stand in front of me and brushes her fingers through my hair freely. “Do you want to talk about it?” I’m already shaking my head beneath her before she has even finished her sentence.

I don’t want to talk about it, I don’t want to talk about any of it, not until I have fully wrapped my head around the whole situation, and it’s only from years of friendship that Hallie seems to understand exactly what I am saying, without me having to convey the words.

“Then how about a little distraction instead.” Her words pique my interest enough to lift my head up back towards her, and I find her smiling coyly at me.

Thanks to the meeting we had earlier, she is dressed in a black dress that hits just above her knee, tied neatly around her waist, paired with tights and black heels. I’ve seen her dressed like this a hundred times thanks to the summers she spends working for her father, but right now in the confines of my room, with my ring on her finger, it feels very, very different.

Everything with her these last couple of weeks feels very different if I am being honest with myself, and I don’t look too closely at the reasons why. Instead, I watch with rapt attention as she reaches for the bow at her waist and tugs on it gently, undoing it, pulling her dress open and revealing what’s underneath. My mouth goes dry as I take in the black and emerald lace bra that encases her full, round tits, letting my stare drag down her stomach towards the matching panties. Fuck. The tights aren’t tights at all, but stockings held up by flimsy little straps, and my cock hardens to an almost painful amount, as I take in the sight of her. She is fucking breathtaking.

“What kind of distraction?” I manage to croak out, fisting my hands into the bedsheets beside me as she smirks, my mood rapidly changing.

“Whatever kind you need, Joshua” she purrs, pushing the dress off her shoulders and climbing into my lap, and fuck me I am so gone for her.

I’m not sure when it happened or even how, but when I look at her it’s like I can truly breathe. My heart beats evenly in my chest, just like it always does, but now even my mind is clear. She calms me, grounds me, and when she stares at me with that sunshine smile, she fucking floors me.

“All I need is you,” I tell her, the confession falling from my lips easier than I intended, and I don’t miss the way her eyes widen at my statement. She really has no idea the effect she has on me lately.

I bring my hands to her hips, holding her firmly against me as she continues to brush her fingers through my hair. “Tell me what to do to make it better,” she whispers, and it’s only now that I realize she is offering me the power I constantly crave. “Command me, Joshua, tell me exactly what you need from me and it”s yours.”

Fuck.I don’t think she realizes how perfect she is for me, how seamlessly her body fits against mine, to the point I almost think about sending my father a thank you note for forcing my hand in marrying her.

“Take off my shirt,” I demand, my mouth aching to be pressed against her own, as her hands drag slowly from my hair, down my neck, to the collar of my shirt.

Her fingers are meticulous in the way they slowly flick open every button until she can push the fabric off my shoulders, her skin brushing against mine in a way that drives me crazy. I don’t think I have ever wanted anyone more than I want her right now, and I can’t help but push my hand up her own chest and curl it around her neck.

“Now kiss me,” I demand, pulling her towards me by her throat, and my lips are on hers before she can even open her mouth to respond.

My tongue caresses hers and she gasps into my mouth, as I squeeze her neck gently, holding her in place as I tongue fuck her mouth with my own. Fuck, she even tastes like sunshine, all hot and sweet, and just begging to be owned, and the metal of my ring thrums against the pounding pulse point in her neck. Her hips roll against my own, and I know she can feel the hard length of me pressed between the apex of her thighs when she moans into my mouth.

I swallow every sound she makes and push for more, slipping my free hand down to her ass and squeezing it tight. The image of it painted in my cum as she was bent over in front of me on the ice yesterday, is seared into my mind forever. Yet knowing that I am about to fuck my wife, in my bed, does something to the caveman pounding inside of me. Yesterday was quick, ruthless, rough, but tonight won’t be like that. No, tonight I am going to spread her out and fuck her until she is a whimpering mess beneath me, until she is mine.

When I slip my hand into the back of her panties and push it down, I find evidence of just how much she is enjoying my mouth on hers. “Is this for me, Tink?” I ask, pushing my fingers right between her ass cheeks and groaning at the sloppy mess of her cunt. “Does my tongue in your pretty little mouth get you wet for me?” I add, kissing her until I am panting and breathless.

“Everything about you gets me wet,” she gasps, writhing in my lap to the point where I know my dick is leaking pre-cum in my pants.

My hand continues to hold her in place by her throat against me while the other massages between her ass cheeks, spreading her wetness all over her pussy without ever touching where she needs me most. I let the tip of my finger slip into her hole, teasing her with quick short thrusts, until she is dry humping me so good that I am about to come without her even fucking touching me.

When I start to pull my hand out, the pads of my fingers graze against her back hole and she flinches slightly. “Has anyone ever taken you here, wife?” I ask, bringing one of my fingers back to tease her tight rim and she huffs, shaking her head. “Good, because now you belong to me, and I don’t like people touching what’s mine.”

My words seem to delight her as she kisses me again, robbing me of my breath and sanity, until she pulls back and scrapes her nails down my chest, reaching my pants. She unbuckles them without a word, her lust-filled stare burning into mine until she can reach inside and pull out my hard and aching cock.

I push her off my lap before she can wrap her hand fully around me, and she frowns in confusion until I push the shirt from my shoulders, and then let my pants fall down to my ankles, kicking them off at my feet. She moves to wrap her arms around me again, but I stop her once more, dropping to my knees at the foot of my bed until she is towering over me in her heels.

My mouth presses feather light kisses down her thighs until I reach the first fixture of her stockings and snap it open. I repeat the motion until they are all unfastened, and she watches me with keen interest as I slide her panties down her legs, my eyes never leaving hers.

“Do you like seeing your husband on his knees for you, Mrs Peters?” I tease, brushing my fingers over her now bare pussy and savoring the way her body starts to tremble beneath my touch. I sink my fingers into her wetness and she groans as I bring them back to my mouth and suck. “You’re the sweetest fucking thing I have ever tasted, baby,” I breathe, lapping at my fingers like they are my last meal.

Only then do I rise to my feet and reach to unclasp her bra, letting her fucking magnificent tits fall out until she is in nothing but the stockings and matching belt. I reach down, picking her up by her thighs with ease, and then fall back onto the end of my bed, bringing her with me. I smile as she moves to grind her bare pussy against my dick, and fuck if it’s not tempting to just sink inside her instantly, but no, first I want another taste of her.

“Bring that delicious pussy here, Hals, I want to fucking drown in it,” I breathe against her mouth, pulling on her hips until she has no choice but to move with me.

I don’t let go until her thighs are straddled on either side of my head and I have the most perfect fucking view in the world as I spread her open for me.

“Josh,” she gasps, looking nervous, and fuck me if it’s not absolutely adorable.

“Don’t go shy on me now, wife.” I wink, pairing my words with a slow leisurely lick of her cunt, making her entire body flinch.

At the taste of her, my cock throbs so hard that it physically aches to be inside of her, but I keep my focus only on the sweet, glistening Nirvana in front of me. When I flick my tongue against her again she pants, her hands flying to my hair and gripping it tight in a way that pushes her tits together gloriously. It’s that sight that undoes me, making me dive in like a man starved, as I fuck her cunt and swollen clit without pause. Licking and sucking on her sweetness until she is writhing against me without a care.

She is dripping all over me, begging and pleading until I bury my tongue inside of her and become addicted to the sounds of her pleasured cries. I fuck her with my tongue, lapping at her cunt until her entire body starts to tremble, only then do I return to her clit, sucking it roughly between my lips and letting it graze against my teeth.

“Joshua,” she cries, pulling my hair until I think she might rip it out, but still I don’t let up. “Don’t fucking stop,” she begs, and I almost laugh against her pussy. Stop? As if I could ever fucking stop.

Isn’t that what being an addict is? Not being able to stop, and I am pretty sure I am now addicted to her.

Her pleas turn into screams as I force two fingers inside of her, keeping up my attack on her clit, as I slowly fuck her with my hand. In and out, harder and harder until she is slamming her hips to my face and mouth in search of her release, and fuck I want to give it to her. I have never wanted to give anyone anything more in my life.

Eyes closed, head thrown back, hands fisted in my hair, and tits begging to be fucked, it’s all I can do not to explode, as I feast on her sweet cunt until she’s almost crying out in relief as her orgasm hits her. I don’t stop fucking and sucking on her until she can barely keep her body upright, only then pulling back, pressing soft, gentle kisses to every inch of her cunt, before letting her collapse on the bed beside me.

“Fuck,” she pants, struggling to catch her breath, and the look in her eyes as she watches me lick the taste of her from my mouth is sinful. “Now what?” she asks, like a needy little brat, and I have to smirk, as I lean off the bed and look down at her.

“Now, I’m going to take my time showing you who you belong to, does that sound good, Mrs. Peters?” I ask, not really searching for an answer, but still she bites her lip and nods.

“That sounds like exactly what I need, Mr. Peters,” she purrs, making me fall deeper into my new found obsession.

I am so fucked.