CHAPTER TWELVE
WARD
The bump of her body beneath pale sheets lured me closer to the unmade bed.
Sia hadn’t gone to the courthouse after she melted down at the ice rink.
Not that she showed me how chaotic her internal process was, but it was a damn close thing.
The way she fractured subtly before me was beautiful.
Struggling with not launching herself at me out of frustration, but holding back all the same.
Fighting every single urge, and yet still she didn’t put those damned papers in.
The ones I signed earlier in the week, that I’d had drawn up to keep her safe. The ones I needed her to file.
My stubborn wife refused to play the game by my rules, or even her own. She took the papers home, and came back to work as though nothing changed.
But everything had.
And so here I was to give her the reward she earned.
I paced to the bed, grazing my heavy gaze over her sleeping form. She was so exhausted after our run in earlier that her slumber was deep. The corner of my lips quirked. Good. That would make this part a whole lot easier.
Reaching over her, I braced one hand on the bed rest above her head, and ran my hand along the covers.
“Sia,” I murmured, then paused.
No warmth came from beneath the sheet.
No bumps where I’d expect there to be curves on her lucious as fuck body.
I ran my hand over her sleeping form again both bright and dark from street light slanted through her open windows. The bumps delved lower, and flattened out.
Breath left my lips in a rush, a snarl bursting free. The covers pulled back in my fist to expose—
Two heaps of shredded papers, one pile slightly more flattened than the other in the middle. Underneath sat a piece of black plastic. Exactly the same size and shape as Solace and I used to dispose of the Chimera’s little Lewis problem.
“I thought it would help get rid of the evidence later.”
I spun about, willing my eyes to adjust to the darkness as I sought the source of the voice. “Sia,” I warned her. “Get your ass out here.”
“I’m comfy right here, thanks.” Her sass was back. That was a good thing. But it wouldn’t save her from a spanked bottom in a moment if she didn’t—
My eyes adjusted to the dim corners from looking at the dappled light, and I found her.
My wife was seated in the corner of the room in an oversized, overstuffed round love seat for one, with the damned cat perched on her lap.
A cocoon of blankets surrounded them both, and she was dressed in what looked like a singlet top and long, cosy pants.
Her hair was twisted on top of her head in a messy bun, her face completely makeup free.
She’d never looked so damn sexy in all her life.
“What the hell is this?” I kept my voice low and grumpy, giving myself time to check her out. I doubted she missed it, but I didn’t care. I also didn't miss the double entendre. So, she’d figured it out, huh?
She stroked the cat on her lap which purred in its sleep. “I knew you’d be here.”
I clenched my teeth. “Glad I’m predictable.” I twisted on the spot and headed for the window I just climbed through.
“The door’s unlocked.”
I paused with my back to her. “After everything I did for you, you left the fucking door unlocked?” Fury rose in me like I'd never experienced before. “Sia?” I turned back, my shoulders heaving.
“I wanted you here.” Her voice was soft. She knew she’d screwed up.
“You should have fucking called.”
“You shouldn’t have served me divorce papers.” She rose, her voice shaking. “You shouldn’t have left.” She pointed the sleeping cat at me with both hands.
I could hear the tears in her voice, even if I couldn't see them yet.
Damnit. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
She laughed, a hollow sound I hated. “Are you serious, Ward? You broke me, okay? Those papers killed me. So, I shredded them. There's your body of evidence. I’ll go dispose of it. Write new ones. I don’t care.”
“You do care.” I took a step closer.
She extended the cat as a shield. “Don’t you dare.”
“Put him downstairs. We have things to talk about. He’s not involved.”
Her chin raised. “Damn right. He’s mine, You don’t get him. Half of nothing is nothing, Ward.”
I risked cupping her cheek and found it wet. “I’m sorry. I was trying to keep you safe.”
“YOu already did that, asshole.”
A smile crept across my lips. “From anyone else.”
“Save me from your fucking moods,” she grumped, still waving the cat.
“What if I want what you want?” I leaned closer, breathing in the sweet tea she drank before she dressed for bed.
“You don’t want that.” She shoved at me even as I cupped the back of her head and drew her closer. Slow, and sure, but giving her all the time to push me back. Really push me away, twist about and escape.
Sia had no intention of going anywhere.
For all her whining and bitching, she wanted to find out what this could be, just like me. We wanted this. It’s why we never let go, why we clung to that final thread for so long.
“Take him downstairs.”
“Fuck you and telling me what to do–”
I kissed her.
A slow brush of lips on lips, a warning, before I covered her mouth with mine.
But Sia didn’t give me any resistance, sighing as she tipped her head back, granting me access the moment I swept my tongue across the wet seam.
Her little gasp left me hard and groaning.
A deep ache started low in my cock and surged upwards.
But tonight wasn’t about showing her up against a wall, ripping her clothes off and seeing how hard and fast I could pound her pussy into oblivion.
Tonight was about rediscovering the woman I loved. The woman who I hadn't worshipped in over a decade, not the way I should. Because I was afraid that if I did, she’d push me away, tell me I was too much for her, too dark and twisted inside.
Her moans grew as I threaded my fingers through her hair, easing her head back. Soft thighs parted for my knee, and she rubbed her heart against my leg.
“Fuck, woman. You’re not making this easy for me,” I muttered. “Trying to take it slow with you, and you’re all hot and ready to fucking og.”
“You haven’t fucked me in over a year,” she whispered back. “And I got clearance six weeks ago. You. Didn’t. Come. Back. Bad husband.”
I smirked against her hot mouth. “Bad husband, huh?” I kissed her long and slow until she rose on her toes, seeking more. I pushed her back. “Easy, Sia. I told you I’m not rushing this—Jesus, fuck,” I cursed as eight needles periced my nipple on demand.
“Ahh.” Sia peered at Hanswen’s not-so-kitten sized claws impaled my nipple. “Yes, he’s quite good at that. Usually he does legs. And arms,” she added, looking up at me and making no move to relocate the cat.
“Would you mind?” I asked through my teeth. “I don't need another piercing."
She blinked at me, then reached down, smoothing her hand over my cock, seeking— “That’s right, you have that wonderful barbell.” Sia rubbed the head of my cock through my pants with her thumb. “I always loved it when you pushed that down my throat.”
“You’re a fucking terror,” I grumbled, detaching the cat on my own. “Little Sir. You are sleeping downstairs on your own. There's a room for you.”
Sia sighed. “We won’t get any time. He sleeps with me.”
“Not tonight, he doesn't."
“Are you staying?" She paused as I headed for the door, kitty in arm.
I turned back to her. “Hansen has a new bed, and a new toy. Want to see?”
She followed me downstairs at a slower pace. “What did you do?”
I opened the door to her library and plopped Hansen down on a warmed bed with his new toy. “This has a heartbeat. It’ll go for a while, don’t worry. The bed is warmed. He has a blanket. The door will stay ajar and he has new kitty litter and water here too.”
I pointed the features out while Sia inspected.
She beamed at me. “I love you.”
Silence fell between us. Hansen curled up on his bed and fell asleep.
I swallowed. “Yeah. I figured. I think he’s down.”
Big eyes watched me as she backed out of the room. “Ward—”
“Upstairs. Now,” I murmured, reaching for her.
“I don’t go fast,” she stammered. “Things are still healing. Inside.”
“I know. I’m not rushing you." I caught the material at the front of her singlet, winding her in with a single finger. “But I’m not leaving either, Sia. Not this time. Here, my place, combine houses… I don’t care what you want to do.
I’m with you and Hanswen. We can dispose of Mister Bed Shred later. ”
“Then where…?”
I caught her chin in my other hand and kissed her, long and deep.
Sia stiffened for a moment, then her whole body softened in my arms. I held her against me as I started walking back up the stairs, already lost in her.
I had no idea how long it took to get to the top, only that her legs were wrapped around my waist by the time we hit the landing.
We’d established a gentle rhythm, swaying and licking panting together as we found our way back to their bedroom.
I grabbed the edge of the plastic sheet and yanked, praying all the paper went with it to the floor.
“Sucess. I think?” Sia craned over my shoulder.
“Good.” I laid her back on the bed, pulling her long pants down her legs. Her arms crossed over her stomach when I slid up her body, and searched for the hem of her top.
“No.” A tremor lilted her voice.
I pressed a kiss to her stomach over the first of the scars. “Bad news.”
“Ward,” she panted.
“I’ve already seen them. Everything. The day he did hurt you. Then I—”
“You don’t have to say it,” she whispered.
I pushed my way up her body, careful not to rest my weight over her, balanced on my forearms. “I did the same thing to him, only deeper. What he did to you—” I broke off, fury melting my veins. “Christ, Sia. I would have done worse, only I wanted to get back to you.”
“So mean,” she murmured. “What if I needed you to be more brutal?” Her lips lifted for a kiss.