The Beach House

by Vicky Jones

  “No, not really. I’ve been sitting here trying to work out what to do. I can’t believe after all these years my own mother is still trying to control me. And to side with Kyle again, after what he did to me?”

  “I know, baby, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. That damn letter.”

  “Don’t, Shona, we’ve already been through this. What’s done is done.”

  “Do you think your father is involved too?”

  “It doesn’t mention him. And after he went to jail, Mother washed her hands of him, so I doubt it.”

  Shona stared out into the distance, the sun almost disappearing into darkness now. “Should I move out?”

  Chloe stared at her open-mouthed. “Of course not. I’m not losing you.”

  “But to keep David, you might not have a choice.”

  They sat staring at each other in silence before Chloe took Shona’s hand in her own. “We’ve fought the odds before. We’ll find a way to sort this out. Hey, why don’t we speak to Minnie? Maybe Judge Barker could help us work through the legalities?”

  Shona’s face lit up. “Of course. Minnie will know what to do. We can go over there first thing in the morning.”

  “Minnie, please come in. Can I get you a glass of tea?” Chloe said as the old lady appeared on their doorstep that sunny morning.

  It was the day after they’d visited her when Minnie came over to the beach house with news. She thanked Chloe and sat down in the armchair nearest to the living room door. “Is Shona here? I should relay what William has said to both of you.”

  After calling Shona in from the yard, they both sat on the couch opposite Minnie as she took a huge deep breath in and began. “Well, it’s worse than we first thought. Turns out these four allegations were just the start.”

  Chloe and Shona looked at each other in shock, then back at Minnie.

  “Apparently there’s been two more. One from Marion Lawrence, wife of the deputy. The other was from Mr. and Mrs. Chambers, Kyle’s parents.”

  “Are you serious? His parents hate him,” Chloe spat out. “He told me years ago that they wouldn’t help him anymore, that he was on his own.”

  “Well, now things have changed. They have a grandson now. An heir to their steel business back in Pittsburgh. And for David to inherit, Kyle must make him legitimate by marrying you. Kyle’s promised them he’ll be a good husband and father, and that it’s helped him change his ways.”

  “And they bought that load of crap?” Shona retorted.

  “It would seem so.”

  Chloe exhaled at length.

  “But there is some good news,” Minnie said with a glint in her eye.

  “What?” Chloe and Shona replied in unison.

  “Well, William has concluded that there simply isn’t any hard evidence. You both sleep in separate rooms,” she winked, “and David is thriving at school now. Oh yes, that one time he was picked up late was an issue, but he was safe at school with that young teacher, Lucy, and Shona did the right thing by fully registering herself as his secondary caregiver before David left the building. Legally on that one, they have nothing. The girls at the bar will testify that all you drink is Coca Cola when you go in there, and there is no evidence that you’ve ever been drunk in public or caused any fuss. And yes, you were at the riots back then, but you were responsible for three police officers ending up safe at the hospital, including Bill Everett’s own son. And you don’t need me to tell you he’s more than willing to speak up for you. Then there’s the issue of Kyle wanting custody.”

  Shona and Chloe lowered their eyes to their laps until Minnie tutted.

  “Hey, you two, now don’t you worry none. No court in the land is gonna grant custody of a minor to a man like that. Not with his record, even if your mother is standing by him. She isn’t as highly thought of as she seems to think she is. The Bruce surname is toxic in business circles now, not to mention in high society. It’s gonna be fine, girls. William will talk to his friend in the Children’s Bureau tomorrow and get these allegations thrown out once and for all.”

  Chapter 44

  Shona returned home that Friday night with a glint in her eye after having arranged for Minnie to have David overnight. She stepped out of the shower and slipped on a clean white undershirt and loose khaki pants just as the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it,” Chloe called from the hallway, already halfway there. She opened the door to see Minnie beaming at her.

  “The little guy all ready?” Minnie asked, clasping her hands to her chest. “I’m really looking forward to having him tonight.”

  “What?” Chloe replied, perplexed.

  Shona came bounding out of the bedroom a little red-faced. Holding a towel to her wet hair as she ruffled it dry, she flashed a lopsided grin at Chloe. “I thought we could have the night to ourselves.” She passed David’s overnight bag to the old lady. “I really appreciate this, Minnie. David?” she called backwards over her shoulder.

  “Can we have cake?” David asked, wiping his hand against his nose as he traipsed down the hallway towards Minnie who rolled her eyes and nodded.

  “Of course. You like chocolate cake?”

  David’s face spread into a huge grin. “Yes ma’am.”

  Chloe smiled through her confusion. “OK then, well, I guess that’s settled. Have fun.”

  “You too,” Minnie replied, winking at Shona, who blushed.

  After closing the door to them, Chloe swayed over to Shona and wrapped her arms around her. “So, what have you got in mind for tonight then?”

  “You’ll see. While I was in the bathroom, I drew you a bath. Thought you could go for a long soak to relax. Make the most of the peace and quiet,” Shona said, kissing her earlobe. “But don’t be too long, OK?”

  Chloe padded into the bathroom and gasped when she saw the effort that Shona had gone to. All around the edge of the tub were little candles, their light bathing the room in a soft amber glow. In the water were little rose petals sitting proudly on top of thick luscious bubbles created by her favorite bath soak. Everything was just perfect. Stripping off, Chloe dipped a toe in the water. The temperature was exactly right for her and, sinking below the water line, she breathed out at length, enjoying the pleasure of the water enveloping every part of her. After thirty long minutes making sure every part of herself was attended to, Chloe dried off, slipped on her robe and headed back into the bedroom. Shona was nowhere to be seen. Confused, Chloe walked towards the living room.

  “Are you coming in?” she began, then stopped and stood open-mouthed at the sight before her. Shona had lit candles all around the room and pushed the furniture back so it left a huge space. She had arranged blankets and pillows, making a floor bed. There she lay until she saw Chloe appear at the door. She jumped up and walked over to her.

  “Come with me,” Shona said, taking Chloe’s hand and slowly leading her to the floor bed. Untying Chloe’s robe, she pulled the silk cord out from it, throwing it on the ground. Without a word, Shona slipped her hands underneath the shoulders of the robe and let it fall away from Chloe’s baby soft skin.

  “Lay down,” Shona commanded, her voice barely above a whisper. Chloe obeyed, her whole body tingling with anticipation. She lay on her back completely naked, looking up at Shona whose movements were almost ethereal. Shona kneeled down and spread her body over Chloe, who lifted her face to reach Shona’s lips, but Shona pulled away. The look on her face was pure seduction as she reached over for the silk cord she’d taken from the robe and instructed Chloe to put her arms above her head, which she did without question. Shona wrapped Chloe’s wrists with the cord, not too tight but enough to keep them where she wanted them, threading one end through the leg of the armchair behind Chloe’s prone body to anchor her. Chloe murmured, the pulsing between her legs growing.

  “I want you to lie still, understand?” Shona breathed in Chloe’s ear, then kissed her on the neck.

  “I understand,” Chloe replied. The ache was pounding now.r />
  “Chloe, do you trust me?”

  Biting her lip, Chloe nodded.

  “Completely?” Shona added, her blue eyes mesmerizing.

  “Yes.”

  Shona then sat back on her heels after gently pushing Chloe’s head back so it was resting on the blankets. She took a thin silk scarf out of her back pocket and laid it carefully over Chloe’s eyes, tucking the ends underneath her head.

  “Can you see me?”

  “No.”

  Leaving it a second, Shona stood up. “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Seconds ticked by. Long, agonizing seconds.

  “Shona? Are you there?”

  “Yes.”

  Crouching down, Shona began tracing the back of her finger down Chloe’s side, reaching one naked hip, then circled around the bone. Chloe gasped at Shona’s light touch, lifting her body to try and catch a firmer contact, but Shona pulled her fingers away.

  “Stay still,” she commanded, then lowered her face to Chloe’s hip bones. Moving across from right to left, Shona kissed every inch of Chloe’s lower body, apart from where she knew Chloe craved to feel her mouth the most. With her long, wet tongue, Shona travelled the length of Chloe’s inside leg all the way down to her ankle bone, then, picking up the other silk scarf she’d brought in and choosing her spot, she took her time to run it delicately over Chloe’s breasts, circling the rougher part of the tassel around her nipples, generating more gasps from Chloe who was struggling to take any more. Pressing her mouth against Chloe’s breasts, she took in each nipple, one after the other, feeling them harden almost in an instant against her tongue. She then drew back and blew very lightly on one, then the other.

  “Oh my God, Shona. I can’t…”

  Ignoring Chloe’s please for mercy, Shona picked out an ice cube from her glass of tea and ran it along the same path her fingers had traced only moments earlier. Squeezing the ice in her hand, Shona let her body heat slowly melt it onto Chloe’s skin. Smiling, she watched the droplets dribble between Chloe’s breasts and stomach, until they eventually rolled down over her hip bones. The ice water now mixing with the throbbing heat between Chloe’s legs, Shona’s hungry mouth followed, catching every drop. Then, gently pulling apart Chloe’s delicate lips, Shona blew on her most sensitive spot, softly at first, then harder, each breath longer than the last. The sheer cold of the ice water running over her skin simultaneously made the sensation even more intense. All Chloe could do was groan, waiting, hoping, that soon Shona would put her out of her delicious misery.

  “Shona, please,” Chloe’s strained voice begged.

  Shona lifted off her undershirt and laid her naked torso on top of Chloe, kissing her hard and wrapping her hands around Chloe’s still-bound wrists as she did so. Chloe could just about make out Shona’s shadow through the blindfold. Their bodies moved together as one, then, letting go of Chloe’s wrists, Shona kissed her way down her body again, revisiting the parts she’d tormented earlier, finishing up where the droplets from the ice cube had come to pool between her legs. This time, without hesitation, Shona allowed her mouth to explore there, slowly at first, her tongue finding all the places Chloe had been aching for it to find. With a hunger she could barely control, Shona buried her tongue deep inside Chloe, her hands gripping on tightly to Chloe’s writhing thighs.

  “Oh God, Shona. Just there, yes.”

  Shona needed no encouragement. All her attention was now on that one spot, her tongue working hard and slow, then speeding up to encourage the inevitable conclusion. Feeling Chloe’s body about to give way, Shona suddenly stopped what she was doing and lifted her head up, licking every delicious drop of Chloe from her own lips.

  “No, please Shona, don’t stop…”

  “Shhh… All in good time. I’m not finished with you yet,” Shona replied with a devilish grin, the menace oozing out of her. She waited another few seconds, then sank her face back to the same spot as before. As if a switch had been flicked, Shona felt Chloe’s wetness increase in an instant as she worked her tongue against Chloe’s spot over and over again. Then stopping again. Seconds later, with the loudest groan Shona had ever heard from her, Chloe raised her back off the blankets, her whole body convulsing with ecstasy as her orgasm thundered through her.

  Panting now herself, Shona wiped her wet mouth and looked up to see the silk scarf still draped over Chloe’s face. Then a panic appeared to set in with Chloe, startling Shona into action.

  “What? What is it?” Shona asked, climbing back up her body to rip the scarf off. Chloe’s sweaty face was bright red, strands of hair matted to her forehead.

  “Get me out of this,” Chloe demanded, yanking her wrists against the legs of the armchair.

  Untying the cord as quickly as she could, Shona threw it away and clamped her palm around Chloe’s face. “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. I just need to fuck you. Now.”

  Chloe’s eyes were filled with pure lust as she rolled over the top of Shona and ripped down her pants. Pinning Shona’s wrists above her head with one hand, Chloe used her knees to spread wide Shona’s legs, then positioned her free hand between them. Carefully, she slipped in her long fingers, letting them travel deeper and deeper until her fingertips hit the ridges inside of Shona, who groaned as she felt Chloe rub against them, then pull out. Chloe slid her fingers back inside Shona again, pressing harder this time against her inner walls.

  “Oh, Chloe. That feels… Oh my god…” Shona could hardly catch her breath, let alone form words.

  Rubbing herself against Shona’s thigh, Chloe felt the sensations inside herself build again. With Shona’s inner muscles tightening around her fingers, Chloe could tell she was almost there too and, after a few more seconds, they cried out together. Collapsing into the blankets of the floor bed, they lay in each other’s arms completely exhausted.

  “Oh my God, Shona, I’ve never felt our bodies do that before,” Chloe panted, then laughed, her mouth pressed to Shona’s ear.

  “I know,” Shona replied with her eyes closed. “It’s a good thing we live far away. The whole town would have heard you scream just then.”

  “We should get a sitter more often.”

  Together, locked in each other’s arms, they lay there watching the candles flicker, feeling closer than ever.

  Chapter 45

  Shona woke up with Chloe still in her arms. She hadn’t moved an inch, as if a minute hadn’t passed since they had fallen asleep together. Slipping out from underneath Chloe’s arm, she rose up, put on her undershirt and pants, and headed into the kitchen. As she poured the second cup of coffee, she felt Chloe’s arms wrap around her.

  “Well, good morning,” Shona said, smiling and turning around to hand Chloe her coffee cup. “You sleep well?”

  “I sure did. I woke up at one point to find a gorgeous blonde lying naked next to me.”

  At that moment, a loud knock at the front door made them both jump. Cooper sat up in his basket, the faintest growl coming from him.

  “Cooper, lie down,” Shona commanded, to which he obeyed. “I’ll go see who it is.” She kissed Chloe on the cheek and hopped down the hallway. After opening the door, her blood ran cold.

  “Hello, Shona.”

  Shona stood motionless, hardly able to breathe. Every punch and kick of the beating she’d received back in Alabama came flooding back to her. Feeling her legs start to wobble, she leaned against the door frame.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I don’t want any trouble. Is Chloe here?”

  Leaving their visitor on the doorstep, Shona padded, slower this time, back to the kitchen. The second Chloe looked at her pale face, her heart began to race.

  “Who is it?” Chloe strode over to her. “Who’s at the door, Shona?”

  Shona raised her eyes to meet Chloe’s.

  “It’s your father.”

  The coffee cup in Chloe’s hands slipped to the floor, smashing into pieces.

>   After dressing as quickly as she could, Chloe approached the door, her face like stone. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Larry Bruce had stepped down from the porch by this time and was now stroking his moustache and looking out to the ocean. His formerly rotund figure was now noticeably thinner, his face much grayer. “I needed to see you. To talk to you.”

  “I thought they’d lock you up for life for what you did,” Shona shot back from the hallway.

  “They let me out early,” he replied over Chloe’s shoulder. He looked back at his daughter. “I’m dying.”

  “Of what? Shame? The devil finally caught up with you, huh?” Shona blasted.

  “I guess so,” Larry replied. “I’ve got weeks, if I’m lucky.”

  Shona laughed. “Please tell me it’s painful what you’ve got? Tell me it hurts every fucking day just to breathe?”

  Larry cleared his throat “Yes, actually. It does. I got cancer. My lungs are riddled. Can’t hardly breathe most days. Fifty years of cigar smoke has finished me off.” He paused to sniff the cool sea air. “Your mother told me you were here. I can see why you chose this place now.”

  “Yeah, well, now that you’ve seen it, you can fuck off again.” Shona spat on the ground next to him.

  “I’d like a minute with my daughter. Alone. Please?” Larry motioned for Shona to go back in the house, but she stayed put. “Look, I promise I won’t hurt her.”

  Chloe looked at Shona and nodded. “I’ll be OK. You go inside.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Honestly, go on.”

  “I’ll be right inside the door. OK?” Shona traipsed back inside the house, leaving the door open.

  Chloe stepped down from the porch and joined her father at the edge of the yard leading down to the beach. “So, what do you want to talk to me about, Larry?” Chloe still, from the day she’d found out about what kind of a man her father was, and what he’d had arranged to be done to Shona back in Alabama, couldn’t bring herself to call him “father.”