by Anna Scott
As painful as sharing the sad truth about my miscarriage, my fears that Trent's decision to stay with me would deny him the one thing I knew he truly wanted, brought us closer, and sharing that burden with my best friend lightened my load just a little. I told her about the night before, how he walked out on me. I was careful to keep his private business to myself, not sharing his own painful past, but explained that his behavior, his leaving reiterated my worry and concern that one day he would regret our relationship and either accept it grudgingly or leave me.
After a very long talk, accompanied by many tears, we both jolted at the sound of my cell phone ringing loudly. Glancing at the clock, I realized that we'd been talking for well over three hours, it was almost ten o'clock.
"I can't believe it's so late," Aurora said as we walked to the back of the store to retrieve our bags. Grabbing my phone from under the front counter on the way, I glanced at the screen and saw a missed text from Trent.
Trent: Home around 10
Knowing he would worry if I didn't respond soon, I responded, telling him that I was still at the store, and would meet him there. I didn't get a response before walking out with Aurora toward the parking lot.
The lot was almost deserted at the late hour. Most of the local businesses would be closed by now, so it wasn't surprising. As I slid behind the wheel of my little car, I watched as Aurora did the same in the new SUV she and Luke had just bought. She had confessed that he pushed the larger vehicle on her, in hopes that they would get started on a family soon.
One dark sedan sat separately from the others scattered around, for some reason it caught my attention. It was a nice car, all black with dark tinted windows. As my headlights illuminated the windshield, it appeared as if someone was sitting in the front seat. A shiver went down my spine, though I didn't know why.
Ignoring the unexplained trepidation, I drove home, remembering the power outage from the night before. I'd forgotten all about it with everything else that had happened, would it be back on now? I didn't know, but I hit the button on the steering wheel to engage my phone and called Trent.
"Hey, sweetness, you home?"
"No, on my way. I totally forgot about that the power was out last night. Do you think it's back on?"
"It is, I ran by earlier and checked on it."
I didn't know what it was, but there was something he left out, I could tell.
"What was wrong?"
He explained that there was an issue at the box outside next to the meter, but again, it seemed like he was skimming over important details.
"I need to call Mom and run over to get Snowball. I feel terrible, I haven't talked to her since this morning and just forgot about everything."
"Okay, I should be there by the time you get home."
After hanging up, I called my parents and confirmed they were still awake. Taking the time to drive all the way out there would add an additional forty minutes to my trip, but since the odd feeling from the parking lot lingered, I didn't mind since I didn't want to walk into an empty house alone.
My mom went on and on about how much time I was putting in at work, but gathered Snowball from Dad's lap, and they both walked me back to my car quickly. I loved my parents, absolutely, but at times, my mother could be a little much.
"Trent?" I called, finally walking through my front door, hands full of cat, duffle, and handbag. I kicked the door closed and followed the sound of Trent's angry voice, apparently on a phone call.
"No, I'm not meeting with you and don't act like you want to play the father of the year all of a sudden." His tone was much like it had been earlier that morning. Setting my bags down, Snowball jumped from my arms, and I turned and walked to the kitchen.
Chapter 8
Trent
My entire day was a cluster-fuck of crazy. My father had phoned a few times over the past couple of weeks, but as usual, I ignored him and confirmed with my sister that she hadn't heard from him.
By the time I left Indulgence after a loud and hilarious lunch, I thought about the flippant thing I'd said to Reed about his future children and how it had upset Amber. I thought she was getting better, that she was coping with the miscarriage, but it seemed like I was wrong.
Once I got to Amber's house to investigate the loss of power, Reed followed to help me. We found that the main circuit had been turned off at the panel. No way something like that happened accidentally, or by chance. Her power had been turned off deliberately. The thing I didn't understand, however, was why the battery backup hadn't turned on for the alarm system.
Walking through the house, I took note and didn't see anything disturbed. Reed checked the system at the panel. It was back online, so he started working to reset it. I went to the garage to check the battery and the lines. Someone had turned off the battery, just switched it off completely. An icy chill swept over my skin. I knew that at some point, Amber hadn't turned on the alarm, long enough for someone to get in fuck with shit.
There was no doubt in my mind that the system had been tampered with, no way it could be a coincidence. Thinking about my father, about him showing up at the store this morning, I pulled my cell from my back pocket and dialed.
"Don't fuck with me, or with Amber. Keep your sneaky little hands far away from her, or I'll do my best to see your ass back in prison."
After leaving the message, I slid my phone back into place and continued my search. After checking every door and window, testing sensors, Reed followed behind and double checked everything. Confident that the house was secure once again, we changed the alarm codes, and I prayed that Amber would get into the habit of using them.
"We need to talk, son. Let's find a time to meet and discuss things, shall we?"
The all too smooth sound of my father's words on my voicemail was just another in a long line or frustrations for the day. I had just gotten back to the office to write up a mountain of paperwork, after a particularly grueling domestic call Gavin and I had been asked to help with.
Coming in so late in the day, I knew it was going to be a long time before I could see Amber again. All I wanted was to hold her and assure myself that she was safe and that we were okay after my vanishing act from the night before. I was ashamed of myself for behaving so erratically. Amber's soft heart and loving spirit were only two of the amazing things I loved about her. Unfortunately, when she was trying to help me see my guilt in a new light, I punished her by walking out and shutting her down.
In the light of day, I knew she was right. I wasn't responsible for any of the terrible things that had happened over the years. I tried to discern what made me start to see myself as the all conquering hero, the savior of all. I had no control of the actions of others, but for whatever reason, I accepted guilt as if it were my penance for allowing bad things to happen.
During my time in the military, I saw plenty. There were accidents on base, training exercises that went wrong, guys who were dumped, depressed and sad who made bad choices. There were plenty struggling with serious PTSD and other war-related issues who began using drugs or even others, like Nolan, who committed suicide. It was a sad fact of the nature of war. No one could leave that place without being seriously affected.
While in the Middle East, on each of my deployments to parts unknown, I saw so much death and devastation, it baffled the mind. When had I decided that I personally was responsible for the actions of terrorists, or the mental and physical challenges of my Marine Corps brethren? Who the fuck did I think I was?
"If you're good and do just what I say, I won't have to punish her for being a bad mother. When you don't do a good job, it makes me very angry with her."
All of a sudden, the long lost words of my father repeated over and over in my head. What had happened when I was very small came back to me in a flood of repressed memories.
I had been maybe seven or eight when my father had smacked my mother across the face. She was standing in the dining room about to sit down for dinner. He heard from one
of the parents of a pee wee football teammate that I had forgotten a play during practice. I remembered screaming at him to stop, and I could see the sinister smile cross his evil face as he looked down at me and patted my head as I tried to stand in front of her.
Strangely, a light seemed to illuminate my past, and I could see things in an entirely new way, my father's manipulations, all of it. I owed so much to Amber, the way she tried to talk me around, to see things more clearly. The war and all that happened must have somehow solidified my own shortcomings, and some of the harrowing events from working for the sheriff's department.
I sent a text to Amber close to an hour before and hadn't heard back from her. Usually, she would at least respond with a little heart or smiley face to let me know she got the message. It was late, she and Aurora should have left the store hours before, even though I knew they were staying after hours to do inventory. I was about to call when my phone buzzed. Thank God, she was fine. I had a little time, but I wanted to be at the house when she got there, so I wrapped it up and walked to my truck.
After pulling up and parking in front of her house, I checked the perimeter, disabled the alarm system and went inside. As soon as I closed the door, my cell phone rang. It was my father. Jesus, was he watching me?
"Son, so good to see you today. I'll excuse your little outburst, of course. You've always been a little short tempered, just like me."
Forcing a calm, I didn't feel, I waited and listened for him to go on. I knew what he wanted, but being the arrogant jackass, he was, he wanted me to offer him money from my trust fund. He wouldn't want to lower himself to ask for it.
"Your mother is looking well. Don't you think?"
"You've done enough to mom, and Nat. Probably more than even I know. Why don't you crawl back into your hole and go away?"
"Now Trent, how would that look to the board? They're anticipating me taking back my rightful place at the company. It's time you and I meet so we can discuss the transition and your place there as well. How about lunch tomorrow?"
"No, I'm not meeting with you and don't act like you want to play the father of the year all of a sudden."
My words stopped abruptly as I heard, then saw Amber. I was angry, and certainly, my face showed it, but I tried to smile, only wanting to reassure her. Raising her brows, she turned and walked from the room.
"Look, Father, I know what you want, I'll be thirty soon, and you'd like nothing more than to get your greedy hands on some of that trust fund. Let me tell you right now, you are not going to get a dime. Mom and Nat don't want to hear from you. They don't want to see you. Do yourself and all of us a favor and disappear. You have no claim on Harper Oil, and you never did. My money is not your money, and I will never give you grampa's hard earned money. You beat his only daughter and his granddaughter. The day you were taken to prison was one of the happiest days of our lives. You get me?"
"You'll regret this, Trent. I may have had some challenges in the past, but I'm still a very powerful man. Don't cross-"
My father's rant was cut off when I disconnected the call and went to find my Amber.
"Sweetness, you okay?
Turning from her spot peering into the fridge, she smiled, if only a little and waited. Was she nervous about the way I was speaking to my father?
"Come here, are you all right? You look upset."
Burrowing into my chest, as she so often did, I felt the soft fur of Snowball circling our feet. Her arms were tight around me, providing the comfort I so desperately needed.
"I'm fine, just a little emotional, I guess. I told Aurora about - about the miscarriage."
My arms flexed around her, trying to infuse her with my love and strength. The thought of our baby was still painful for both of us, and neither of us talked about it often.
"How did that go?"
Shrugging, she explained that Aurora had realized there was something more to our relationship that she didn't know. Apparently, the two women talked and cried together for hours, and it helped Amber some, to get it out and talk about it. Her grief had been immense, and the depression that followed had swallowed her whole. I understood now that she pushed me away because she was afraid to lose someone else in her life and she'd been convinced that I would eventually leave her in hopes of having children with someone else.
After holding her for a long time and reassuring her of my commitment and love for her, I guided her to the table and started to look around for something to eat. I wasn't much of a cook, but even I had a few specialties. Finding what I needed, I started ham and cheese omelets with toast.
Once the meal was consumed and I finished the dishes, I pulled Amber into my arms and kissed her soundly. As she wrapped her arms and legs around me, as she so often did, I began to walk us back to her bedroom.
Tossing her onto the bed, she bounced once and let out a little shriek.
"Damn it, Trent!" She giggled, pulling herself into the middle of the bed, ready for me to join her.
"What do you want tonight?" I asked, a mischievous grin on my face.
"A little more Channing Tatum?"
"Psh, Tatum's just a regular guy, how about something exotic?" Teasing her in bed was one of my all time favorite things to do. Amber was hilariously funny, and never took herself too seriously.
"How about Ryan Gosling from that one movie?" She suggested, pointing toward my chest. I knew what she meant, that ridiculous line about him being airbrushed. Why I watched all those movies with her could only be explained by the amount of playtime I got after. She was fully ready to reward my sacrifice once the credits began to roll.
Shaking my head, I removed my shirt and flexed for her. Laughing, she sucked the tip of her finger into her mouth and smiled up at me, those amazing eyes twinkling with wicked intent.
"Maybe you should get your nipples pierced."
I was looking down at my boots, getting ready to kick them off, but my head snapped up at that ludicrous suggestion.
"You should get your nipples pierced, I have enough pierced already, don't you agree?"
"Ah, yes, and I love those piercings." She moaned and lay back on the bed, arched her back and ran her damp fingertip down to the neckline of her dress. "And the tattoos, of course."
"Hmm, that looks nice, maybe you should continue down farther with that finger."
Amber's tongue peeked out and slid across her bottom lip slowly. Pulling her bare feet up onto the bed, she planted them flat on the blanket, bending and spreading her legs so I could see right up her skirt. Her questing finger traced down between her breasts, over her stomach and passed her bunched up dress to the soft skin of her thigh.
The sight of this beautiful woman caressing herself, tantalizing and flirtatious was more than my willpower could handle. My dick was hard and throbbing against my zipper. It took everything I had to stand still and watch her. Amber's eyelids were lowered, her breathing increased, and I could see the rapid pulse at her neck. The blush on her cheeks was high, and I knew from great experience with her, that it wasn't from embarrassment.
As that one finger traced lazily up and down her bare leg, her other hand reached down to pull her skirt up, exposing her tiny yellow lace panties.
Deciding to join her, I wanted to entice her and play along. I reached down, unfastened my jeans and pushed off the rest of my clothing.
Standing once more to my full height, she took notice of my evident lust for her and seemed to be distracted when I began to stroke down my own chest. As Amber's finger wiggled underneath the lace, I took hold of myself and began to slowly stroke.
"Trent"
"Mmmhm"
"Touch me."
Always happy to do as she asked, I moved to the edge of the bed, dropped to my knees and licked from her ankle to her core and devoured her.
~~~
"Hey Mom, have you heard anything from Dad?" It was the next morning, on my way to work. My brain had been turned to total mush the night before, thanks to Amber's amazing body.
Finally, my mind cleared, and I remembered what my father had said, and I knew I had to talk to my mother.
"Why do you ask?" My mom wasn't good at evasive, but I could hear it in her voice now.
"He's been calling, showing up at Amber's house and at work. Last night he said something about going back to his rightful place at the company, has he talked to you?"
She paused for several seconds and the noise in the background sounded like she was on the move. Was she walking through her own house, closing doors? Was someone there with her? If it was my father, I'd lose my shit.
"Yes, he's called, talking nonsense about moving back home or something. I don't respond, though when he calls, I just hang up on him."
"Mom, where are you?"
"I'm at home, honey, why?"
"You sounded like you were moving through the house, closing doors, like maybe someone was there with you."
She hesitated again, and just before I turned my truck around to drive over there, she explained.
"Yes, well, I have a house guest dear. I didn't want to wake them up."
"Is it him? Is he there?"
"Who?"
"Father"
Mom actually laughed, which I thought was highly inappropriate for the time.
"No, of course not, why would you think that?"
"You're cagey Mom. Why are you being secretive?"
"No need to worry, Trent. After all, your father did, there is no way I'd put up with him again."
I was reassured, but curious about who was there, though, out of fear that she'd actually tell me, I didn't ask.
"You know, it's long past time I meet Amber, don't you think?"
"Yes, Mom, it is. Maybe we can have dinner this weekend."
Agreeing, excitedly, we decided on Saturday night since Natalie was off work too.
