She obeyed as her needy wiggle drew my attention lower. I pulled my fingers from her mouth and dragged them down her body, between her breast, over her belly button, under her waistband, into her panties. I plunged them inside her hot wet cunt and she moaned. My thumb circled her clit as my fingers pushed in and out. My lips lined one side of her neck with kisses. Then easing her head to the other side, I nibbled my way down to her collarbone. I teased her nipples through her clothing, until her breathing was ragged and quick.
Adding a third finger, I dipped into her wet slit and hooked them into her G-spot.
“Jeremy,” she whimpered, rocking against my hand.
One of her hands tugged at my hair while the other gripped my thigh.
“You love my fingers deep in you, fucking you, making you come for me. Don’t you? Say my name again, sweetheart.”
She whispered my name again and again as she came, clenching around my fingers, milking my hand. I hardened with every thrust and when she was spent. I turned us around.
“Hands up,” I commanded.
She pressed her palms to the bark as I rolled down her pants. She groaned when I bumped the tip of my cock to her entrance. She cried out when I shoved inside her. Thrusting a hand into her hair, I pulled her head back and watched her eyes flutter as I pulled out and shoved in again. The need to pump into her until I exploded was almost overpowering, but watching the contortions of her face was bliss. I wanted to come, needed the release, but I drew out that moment, so I could see every sensation in the way her lips rounded and curled.
When I couldn’t stand it anymore, I pressed one hand over hers and hooked the other around her hips. I stopped controlling the motion. I let it all go as I pounded into her. The sounds she made were heaven and when I finally spilled everything into her, my groan bounced through the trees.
I pulled her weight against me as we breathed together. After a few minutes, I eased her pants back over her hips and tucked myself back into order.
“Those,” she breathed, turning in my arms, and lacing her fingers into my hair. “Those were exactly the sounds I was hoping for.”
She smiled. Her face was flushed, the pink warming her golden-brown skin as I pecked at her lips.
“Suddenly, the unexplainable profit surge when we bought KSB doesn’t seem like such a big deal,” I whispered.
* * *
“KSB,” I mutter when the memory recedes and I can focus on the present again. “Sylvie, when was that. When were we up here last?”
“It was the weekend before you disappeared,” she answers. “You were really stressed about work all week. You mentioned some accounting issues, but I don’t remember any of the details… what was KSB?”
“Klein, Silverman, and Baker,” I answer. “We acquired their investment firm the month before I disappeared but we ended up with too much money in the account and I couldn’t figure out why. Jack Moore kept telling me to bury it; he said that I shouldn’t waste time trying to explain EXTRA profits. But I couldn’t let it go. That was the last thing I was working on and I thought that something bigger was going on, but I couldn’t figure out what.”
Meeting her gaze, I remember the boxes that Carter had picked up in the storage unit.
“Sylvie, where did all my office stuff from the apartment end up?”
“We boxed it all up. Some of it looked confidential so Silas was planning to shred it. But I don’t think he has yet. It’s probably still at the house. Did you remember something important?”
Looking at her, I try not to focus on her mouth as I swallow my yearning.
“I’m not sure.” I answer.
She shivers and I wish there were towels so I could at least dry her hair. Leaning against the wall, she closes her eyes. I get the blanket from the cabinet and cover her with it.
“Come sit with me?” she asks.
Her sweet request tugs at me, but I shake my head. I don’t know if I can be responsible for my actions if I’m that close to her.
“Please,” she adds. “It’s cold.”
Lightning hits a tree close by and the boom shakes the small room. She looks scared and so small in the oversized clothes. Slowly, I ease onto the bench beside her. She leans into my arms like it’s an instinct and I wrap around her every bit as naturally.
“Are you hungry?” I ask.
“No, just exhausted. You?”
I don’t answer. My hunger is too dark and too complex to voice. The lights around us blink out but I barely notice. My eyes are closed to enjoy the feel of her warmth.
“I think we just lost power,” she says.
“We have flashlights and candles and the storm isn’t supposed to last too long. Just rest, Sylvie. Once it passes, I’ll walk back to my car and call for help. You’ll be safe here until I come back.”
She’s quiet and then I hear her sobbing.
“You came back,” she whispers. “I still can’t believe it sometimes, but you’re right here.”
“I’m right here,” I utter into the dark. “I’m right here, Sylvie.”
I fight back my tears as the thunder and the rain bear down on our little shed in the woods.
Chapter Twenty-eight
The commotion outside the dark little shed jars me awake. Fear grips me until I hear his voice calling.
“Sylvie? Baby, are you in there?”
“Silas,” I mutter, in my half-waking state.
Jeremy sits up straighter, tightening his grip on me as his muscles tense. The door swings open and we shield our eyes from the streams of artificial light probing us. Boots shuffle and hands that belong to my husband clasp mine.
“Baby, are you alright?” he asks, just as a bright lantern illuminates the room.
Silas’ pale eyes shine with relief, until they move from mine and my husband registers Jeremy’s body wrapped around me.
Possessively, he tugs me to standing, into his arms, and I cry out as my weight shifts involuntarily onto my injured leg.
“Damnit, Silas,” Jeremy barks, pulling me back to the bench against his body. “Her leg is hurt. She can’t put any weight on it.”
The unmasked hostility in Silas’ features makes my heart quicken. I can’t see Jeremy’s face, but the tension in his body and his steadfast grip on mine, suggest that it matches that of my husband’s. Silas takes a deep breath and the sharp lines of his handsome face soften.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” he grits as the men who had entered with him pull some poles and some canvas out of the cabinet and begin to form it into a stretcher.
Jeremy nods and his grip on me loosens.
“Silas, did my friends get home before the storm?” I ask, suddenly guilty that I hadn’t thought of them before.
“Yeah. They all called me to check on you. Blythe told me that you’d run into Jeremy and stayed behind. Why would you do that with the storm coming?”
“It was my fault,” Jeremy answers. “When the rain started, I tried to get her back to her car, but she fell and hurt her leg and I couldn’t carry her the rest of the way out, so I brought her here to let the storm pass.”
Looking between the two of us, Silas swallows. The men with the stretcher approach before he can ask another question. Jeremy mentions the broken glass and the litter on the trail as we head out. The path is dark but the men carrying me have likely walked it many times. The storm is over, but the world is still muddy and I pray that we don’t take another fall. When we reach the street, I’m loaded into an ambulance and Silas climbs in with me.
As they close the doors, I see Jeremy standing at a distance. Our eyes meet and a chill shoots up my spine.
“I was so worried, baby,” Silas says, drawing my attention back to him with a hand cupping my face. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
I smile at him and he presses a kiss to my temple. I look out the back window as the ambulance begins to roll away, but Jeremy is gone.
The ride
to the hospital is brief, but the heavy silence makes it feel longer. There are so many questions I want to ask Silas, but an equal number of questions I do not wish to answer. The doctor checks my wound, applies a little bandage glue and patches me back up. My ankle is only sprained. I’m meant to ice and stay off it for a couple days. I promise to return for an x-ray if the swelling doesn’t recede.
The car ride home is every bit as silent as the ambulance ride. My car waits in the garage when we arrive. No doubt dropped off by the same whoever who had brought Silas’ car to the hospital.
Levi is already asleep. We thank Allison and Charles for staying with him and they let themselves out as Oscar jumps and barks. He continues to beg for our affection until Silas orders him away. My husband carries me upstairs and makes me a bath before he helps me undress. He stares at me while I soak. He helps me ice my foot, gives me some more pain medication, tucks me into bed, and kisses my cheek.
I don’t question him when he leaves the room. I’m not sure I wanted him to stay. I fall asleep hating myself for wishing I could have spent the night in that cold, dark shed, basking in the heat of Jeremy’s arms around me.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Forcing my clenched fists to relax, I wait at the front door. I’ve knocked twice already. It’s early, but not rudely so. This is him fucking with me. This is his way of keeping me in my place. Outside their house. Outside their life.
When the door finally opens, he doesn’t invite me in. Crossing his arms at his chest, he stands in the center of the doorway, blocking my path. Creating a physical barrier between me and everything he thinks belongs to him. But it’s not that simple. I’ve come for what’s mine.
Lifting my chin, I meet his eyes. He doesn’t speak and neither do I, but the animosity between the two of us is thick. Do I want to kill Silas? No. Just as he’d looked at me yesterday, checked his hostility, and thanked me for taking care of Sylvie when she needed me, I doubt I’ll ever be able to escape the debt I owe him. He took care of my son when I couldn’t. He took care of her when I couldn’t.
Yet here we are, face to face. Nose to nose. And I need him to get out of my way.
“How’s Sylvie?” I ask.
“My wife is resting. She should be alright in a few days, but she needs her sleep now.”
He doesn’t budge. His face gives nothing away.
“You’re not going to invite me in?”
“No, Jeremy, I’m not going to invite you into my home.”
Something about the way he said the word ‘home’ stabs at me. I tongue my teeth as we continue to stare at each other. His eyes are cool, but the tension in his body suggests he’d like nothing more than to take a swing at me. As certain as I am that I owe Silas, I am equally certain that one way or another, he’s taken more from me than I thought anyone could. And looking into his eyes, I suspect that he wouldn’t lose any sleep if I disappeared again.
Clearing my throat, I look away.
“There are some papers from my old apartment that I’d like back. Sylvie said that you were going to shred them, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”
Narrowing his eyes, he searches mine for indications that I’m lying. Or maybe he’s looking for something else?
“What happened out there, Jeremy?”
Smiling, I step closer to him. I can feel his insecurities, his doubts. That weakness is why it’s only a matter of time before I find out what he knows about my disappearance. That wavering in his eyes tells me that he’ll buckle eventually. And there’s not a doubt left in my mind that Silas knows so much more than he’s told me or Sylvie.
“Are you asking me if Sylvie and I fucked in the woods? The answer is yes.”
His eyes flash and I enjoy the fucking happening right here and now.
“But not yesterday,” I add. “Yesterday, she needed me and I kept her safe. That’s all. But maybe you should talk to your wife about how much you doubt her?”
The muscles in his jaw throb and my smile lingers.
“I’ve come for what’s mine, Silas. Are you going to hand it over, or do I need to take it?”
His jaw juts out and one corner of his mouth twitches up.
“I’ll have your box driven over later this week. I’m too busy taking care of my wife right now to find it.”
He turns to step into the house but little paws pattering on the pavement draw our attention and we turn to see a beagle approaching. His leash trails behind him. I reach down and let him lick my hand.
“Oscar, come back!”
The little voice brings a broad smile to my face. Levi runs out from behind a laurel hedge on the sidewalk. The woman with him smiles cautiously as she follows.
“Jeremy!” yells my son as he runs to me. He bounces excitedly as I crouch down and open my arms. When he hugs me, he squeezes with a strength well beyond that of such a small boy.
“Are you staying for breakfast?” he asks.
“No, son,” an unwelcome voice answers from the doorway. “Jeremy just came by to pick up some things, but he can’t stay. Your mom needs quiet today.”
Exhaling, I stand ready to tell him that he has no idea what Sylvie really needs, but Levi squeezes my hand. I bite my tongue and smile at him instead.
“Jeremy will come visit another day,” Silas tells the frowning boy who looks so much like me it hurts. “Go on inside with Paloma. You can give Oscar a treat.”
“Bye, Jeremy!” says Levi, waving his little hand as he follows Paloma and Oscar into the house.
“Bye, Jeremy,” taunts Silas as he closes the door in my face.
The bang lingers in the air as I stand on the outside. Again.
Chapter Thirty
The bang of the door bashing into the wall stirs me. The early morning sunlight streams between the drapes and a little body jumps on top of me.
“Mommy! I missed you last night,” says Levi.
Silas rushes into the room and lifts Levi from me.
“I told you not to wake your mother,” he scolds.
“It’s okay,” I tell him, reaching for my son.
Silas scrunches his face in concern, but places Levi back on the bed beside me. I wrap him into a snuggle and Silas’ face eases as he watches us. He’s smiling, but there’s some sadness there, too. Holding my son close, I study my husband. Until very recently, I believed that Silas shared everything with me. Now, every time I look at him I wonder what he’s really thinking.
“Will you read me a book, Mommy?” Levi asks.
“Sure. Go and get one for me.”
Smiling, Levi runs off. Silas and I are alone again.
“How did you sleep?” he asks.
I shrug.
“You didn’t come to bed.”
“I didn’t want to disturb you,” he says. “You know how I get when I’m sleeping.”
He smiles at me and I chuckle. How many times have I woken up with Silas, draped over me? Or pulling off my clothes?
“I can’t be asked to control myself when you’re in bed with me, baby. I wanted you to get the rest you needed, so I slept in the guest room.”
I nod, but I’m not convinced. The way he swallows suggests that there’s more. What isn’t he telling me?
Levi runs back into the room with The Little Blue Truck, and I take it from him with a smile.
“Jeremy was here, Mommy,” he said. “Can we go visit him at Grandma Sharon’s today?”
Startled, I look to Silas.
“Jeremy was here?”
Jaw twitching, Silas exhales out of his nose.
“He was. He said he wanted that paperwork from his old apartment—the stuff I was going to shred. I told him I’d have it sent. He left.”
“So can we go?” insists Levi.
“I’ll take you in a few days,” says Silas, his eyes never leaving mine. “Your mommy has to rest today.”
I peer into my husband, hoping to see the secrets he’s locked away
from me. But he remains inscrutable. I turn to my son and smile. I read him his book twice before he runs off for breakfast. Silas brings up a tray for me and when I thank him he brushes his knuckles along my cheek and, this time, his eyes are so easy to read.
“Of course, baby,” he says. “I’d do anything for you.”
He kisses my hair before he leaves and I’m left with so many questions.
* * *
Hours later, Paloma has helped me shower and change into some loungy day clothes. I’m feeling human again, but still so confused as I lie back in bed and stare out the window. Silas took Levi and Oscar to the park. The house is quiet and I can’t stop thinking about the boxes Jeremy wanted. Determined not to sit in bed and wait for the men in my life to tell me their secrets, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and wrap my ankle.
I’m halfway down the steps, when Paloma finds me and gives me her sternest look.
“Mrs. Chambers, you should be in bed. I can bring you whatever you need.”
“Paloma, I know you mean well, but I need to get to the library.”
“You need rest…” she starts.
“I NEED ANSWERS!” I yell, cutting her off as she stares back at me with wide eyes.
My nervous hands cover my guilty mouth as I lean against the curved wall of the staircase.
“I’m so sorry, Paloma. You don’t deserve to be spoken to that way. But I think Silas is keeping things from me and… will you help me?”
Wrapping a strong arm around my waist she smiles.
“I will help you, Mrs. Chambers, but Mr. Chambers would only keep something from you if he was trying to protect you. You have a very loving husband.”
I don’t answer her. She supports me as I hobble into the library and then brings me a chair as I begin to rifle through the few boxes of leftover paperwork.
“I will make you some tea, Mrs. Chambers, to help you relax. And when you are done here, you can go back to bed. Yes?”
“Thank you, Paloma,” I tell the older woman before she nods and exits the library.
Rifling through the second box, I’m starting to feel frustrated when I find a folder labeled KSB. It’s thin. The spreadsheet inside is adorned with yellow sticky notes and his handwriting fills the margins. Knowing that I’m one of the few people who can read his scrawl brings a happy bend to my lips.
Everything Stolen Page 15
