Chapter 21 #2
I steady my footing. “You know exactly what I was talking about.”
“How on earth did you figure it was appropriate to say it in front of company?”
My insides quiver. “How did you think I felt seeing it in person?”
Mom glances away. “You know you weren’t meant to see anything.”
“But I did,” I hiss. “And I haven’t said a word.”
With a grateful smile, Mom strokes my hair. “Oh, my good girl.”
I jerk my head away. “Dad deserves to know.”
“I’m not here to have that discussion.”
“Then why are you here?”
“For my children.”
I choke on my breath, stunned by her answer.
“Why aren’t you dressed for dinner?”
I hitch the laptop under my arm. “I’m not eating with the family.”
Her hands slam onto her hips. “You aren’t serious. It’s my welcome-home dinner.”
“Does Dad even know you’re home?”
“Why are you being so insolent? I’m here, as well as your brother, and the Klein family.” She snaps her fingers. “You are joining us.”
“You didn’t give Dad a heads-up? He would’ve left the office and flown the chopper back if you’d called.”
“That wasn’t my priority. Seeing you and Ash is.”
I hug the laptop against my body. “Besides doing a menu tasting with the society ladies. You could’ve sent Dad an email in between messages with Chef Renaldo.”
Mom sighs. “Would you put the laptop down and change into something more appropriate? Why have you started dressing so casually?”
“I can’t join you tonight,” I persist. “You took up all my time this afternoon, and I need to contact a teacher. Plus, I need to send volunteering instructions to the girls.”
“If you hadn’t neglected signing up volunteers, there’d be no rush to contact them now.”
I back away. “Look, you didn’t give me any notice about your return. I’m just honoring my commitments, like you taught me.”
“Your family is one of your commitments.”
I halt, lowering my laptop. “I guess I could stay and talk about what I saw in Switzerland.”
Mom’s chin drops, and astonishment rounds her eyes.
Cradling the laptop, I raise my chin. “Your choice.”
Mom bats her hand. “Fine, get going. I can’t stand your constant arguments.”
Before she changes her mind, I dash down the hallway and exit the manor.
“I’m here,” I call out, hurrying into the pool house.
Dax leans out the bedroom doorway. “I was just going to lie down. Is that okay?”
“Of course,” I say, moving up the hall to meet him. He’s pulled off his jacket and is in a tank undershirt.
I place the laptop on the nightstand and sit beside him as he flops on the bed like a starfish.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, placing a hand on his forehead.
His eyes drift upward. “You don’t have to play doctor.”
I remove my hand. “I was just wondering if the ride took some of your strength.”
“I’ve been riding as long as I’ve been walking. You don’t have to worry about me on the bike.”
I frown at him. “You’ve blacked out on your feet and on the bike.”
He huffs at the ceiling. “Sassy.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to go on about this.” I scoot closer to him. “There has to be a way for me to make this better.”
Dax grunts as his chest rises with frustrated breaths.
I curl my arm around his. “Let me fix this.”
“It’s fine,” he mutters. “I didn’t want to see the doctor. I only agreed to make you happy.”
“That’s not entirely true. I know it.”
Dax shrugs. “Sure, I got scared yesterday, but I’m fine now. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can, but you don’t have to. I’m here.”
“I’m not your project.”
I release his arm. “I just care about you. I want your life to be easier.”
He traces my jaw and whispers, “It is. Just being with you is enough.”
“I can do more,” I insist. “It doesn’t have to be medical. I’ll do anything, and I promise to see it through this time.”
“Sassy, it’s fine. You don’t have to…”
“I know I don’t,” I blurt. “But I want to. I was serious about my father’s private investigator. No one would know he’s on your mother’s trail.”
Dax’s complexion dulls, and fear amplifies the gray in his eyes. “Don’t do that.”
“Are you sure? He’s the best in the business.”
“I said no!”
I sit back, arching my shoulders high as my heart thumps to break free.
Dax runs a hand over his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I just don’t want to risk Lance finding her.”
I sit up as the dread rolls off my back. “It’s okay, I won’t do anything. I don’t want you to be mad at me.”
“I’m not. You just need to cool it.”
I lower myself beside him. “Easier said than done.”
His arms sweep around me, and he pulls me on top of him. I melt into him, worried I’ll inflame his bruises, but he keeps a hold of me. He mumbles a soft moan in our kiss, and the friction between us deepens. I plant my hands on his chest, my fingers playing with the pendant on his chain.
I move my kisses down to his chin, his neck, and along his collarbone. As my hands move across his chest, they slip under the low collar of his tank. I smile as my fingers trace the Roman numerals tattooed on his skin. MMLXXXV.
I mumble a laugh. “When you’re eighty, huh?”
He smiles and sinks into the pillow. “It’s funny. Being alone with you is the closest to freedom I could ever imagine.”
I lower my lips to his and comb my hands through his hair, taking in his earthy scent. His hands press into my back and wander down my spine. As everything blurs around us, his heart pulsates toward mine, and its rhythm lulls me into nirvana.
His hands rise along my back, one camping between my shoulder blades, the other tucking hair behind my ear. As we kiss, I catch his hand and clutch it hard as I seize the burning cravings inside me.
Our spell breaks as a muffled banging sounds in the living room.
Dax’s lips slide away from mine, and his head turns toward the wall. “What was that?”
I slide my hand onto his cheek, turning him back to me. “It’s a staff member dropping off food. I already organized it with Murphy.”
My lips devour his again, enjoying the taste as if it’s the first time.
“Well, this is interesting,” my mother’s voice interrupts from the doorway.
I slide off Dax and choke as I stare at my mother.
“Is this the important work, which stops you from having dinner with your family?” Mom asks, folding her arms.
Dax sits up, shifting his legs off the bed, ready to bolt. His hands ground into the bed cover, and in an effort to keep him by my side, I plant a hand over his.
Mom takes two steps further into the room. “Won’t you introduce us?”
I dig my fingers between Dax’s, and when his hand jerks, I clamp down on it.
Mom releases a throaty chuckle. “You do know his name, don’t you?”
“This…” The tremble in my voice makes me pause. “This is Dax.”
“Hello there,” Mom says, looking him up and down. “I’m Vanessa’s mother, Hilda Ashworth.”
Dax shifts again, not saying a word.
Mom smiles at me. “I’m guessing your father doesn’t know about this.”
I criss-cross my legs and arch my back. “Are you going to tell him?”
“I don’t know what there is to tell,” she responds. “Yet.”
I glance at Dax and then back at my mother. “What do you need to know?”
“Nothing really,” Mom says, tilting her head. “I can tell from his appearance he’s not part of our circle. Far from it.”
“You can forget I was here,” Dax says, moving off the bed. “I’m not here to get Vanessa into trouble.”
Mom lifts a hand, making Dax stop in place. “You might not realize how many boys are after my daughter. She hasn’t taken an interest in any of them. Yet, young man, she’s clearly infatuated with you.”
“Mom.” My heart cautiously beats. “What are you saying?”
“If this is something you don’t want your father to know.” Her eyes run over Dax. “Then I won’t say anything.”
I swallow hard. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I also have something I’d prefer didn’t get back to your father.”
I bite inside my lip. “It’s blackmail.”
Mom mumbles a laugh. “You’d know all about that, considering how you spoke to me earlier.”
When will I learn I’ll never get the upper hand on my mother?
She smiles with calculating eyes. “We both have secrets we wish to keep, darling. It’ll be in your best interest to listen to me.”