by Christina OW
He needed to figure out why she had a sudden lapse of insanity, as Ellie called it and turned homicidal. What happened to her between the time she escaped from the loony bin and the day she woke up from her coma caused by a supposed car accident. A whole two months unaccounted for, but he was sure there were two people who could answer that for him because they most definitely helped her escape. There was no way she could have just slipped out without anyone noticing. There were no break-ins or out, so that meant she walked right out the front door. Being a genius afforded him with some skills to hack into the FBI database undetected with his laptop and snoop around. During that snoop, he also got the name of her supposed last victim—Tom Turner.
At least the puzzle of how she got out was partially solved but how did he end up her husband? How is it he had control over her memory and how often did he wipe her mind clean of all her memories? Why did he keep doing it and did her two protectors allow that psycho to play with her mind? With his gaze fixated on her, he wondered how long till they saw the side effects of that mad man’s work? He felt a chill rush through him and it had nothing to do with the fact he was sitting butt naked under an open window. How many will she kill this time before someone stopped her, permanently?
He watched her stretch as she came awake, turning her head. She felt his side of the bed with her hand and came up empty. Her head rose and she looked around before she turned back to his direction. A shy smile came over her puffy lips.
“Damien, what are you doing sitting there naked?”
“Just watching one of the most beautiful visions in the world,” he answered honestly.
“Say that with a smile and I might just believe you,” she sat up, pulling a sheet with her and denying him a view of her perfect firm breasts. He’d watched them bounce as he rode her hard, taking them to oblivion. “Damien, what’s wrong, why are you so serious?”
His eyes moved up from the outline of her breasts hidden by the sheet to her face. She looked worried. He didn’t want that.
“Nothing is wrong. Are you okay? I didn’t exactly take it easy on you.”
Her face beamed with her large smile. Shyly, she ducked her head, tucking her hair behind her ear, “I’m not complaining.”
“You will be in the morning.”
She rolled her lower lip into her mouth, “Is that why you’re so serious? I promise it was the best experience I’ve ever had.”
The sincerity in her voice and eyes made him believe that. He would have gloated if not for— “Honey, it’s the only experience you remember.”
“That doesn’t make it any less special.” She fidgeted where she sat.
“What is it?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?”
His brow shot up at that. “I promise.”
With a sigh that sounded like that of despair she said, “To me... it felt like losing my virginity all over again, if I remembered it—maybe it’s better that I don’t just in case it was horrible. I know it’s ridiculous—DJ is a walking testimony that I’ve done this before—”
“We’ve done this before,” he cut in, “he’s proof of that, but I get your point. But VS, you and Tom—”
“Have never done anything more than hold hands. Except for when he tried to—but that doesn’t matter. I’ve never wanted to be with him like I was with you and I think there’s a good reason for that. I may not remember what it is, but I know it was what kept me away from him. Over the past few days we’ve been here, I’ve been thinking that reason might be you, because, I obviously had no problem doing the naked dance with you.”
That got a smile out of him. “That’s good to know considering how long I’ve been waiting to do the naked dance with you.”
She chuckled, “With a smart kid like DJ I’ve learned to be creative with a few words I don’t want him learning just yet.” He loved the sound of her laugh. It did weird things to his body. She pushed her hair back away from her face, “So what now? Is this going to be awkward?”
Mirroring her, he pushed his own hair back and looked down at his growing erection before he looked back at her, “What do you think?” The way she watched his rod made him swell and elongate until its purple head tapped above his navel. “Come here.” He issued the grunted order.
She dropped the sheet and rose fluidly from the bed, walking to him with a seductive sway of her hips. He watched her approach him with an unquenched hunger. He drew his thighs together to make space for her knees on the wicker chair and helped her straddle them, facing him. In that position, it kept the moonlight on her body making her look more like a night siren. Silently she moved over him and sank onto him with a sigh. Damien watched her eyes flutter with that little pleasure, her teeth clamping down on her lower lip. His hands moved lightly over her skin that was touched by the silver-blue light of the moon. Her hands, over his, moved with him has she began a slow dance above him. He watched her face, watched her body sway like a belly dancer with each roll of her hips in rhyme to the musical noises from her lips. Her hands buried in her own hair and he took note of more than her lively mounds but also of things that he’d only been able to glimpse at before. The light from the moon showed the scars clearly though someone had taken extensive measures to hide them. He had to look real hard to see those from six years ago. The barely visible patterns could only be those created by blades and bullets and not the car crash she was supposedly...
“Fuck!” he sighed, his head falling back against the chair. Liquid fire rushed through his veins, with the quickening tempo of her dance, emptying his mind completely of all thoughts but her and what she was doing to him. He could think later. He held onto her hips, her hands coming down to hold onto his shouldersand danced with her, his eyes locked on the diamond glitter of her bouncing body as the silver-blue light hit her perspiring skin.
She was beautiful and she’s all mine.
Chapter Seven
“Breakfast!” Tasha yelled, serving up plates of eggs, bacon and flapjacks onto the kitchen island. They didn’t have a table but the island served its purpose and even when she or Damien was cleaning up, the other and DJ would remain seated and they would talk about everything and nothing until bedtime. Weird yes, but it made her feel like her family was realer than fantasy, because truthfully, the past month had felt like a fantasy to her. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and ruin their easy breezy life. Would it be Tom or Mike and Elaine, or someone from Damien’s side?
She jumped at the touch on her neck and her shoulders were quickly grabbed, holding her still.
“Hey, easy there. What’s got you so jumpy?”
She turned in Damien’s arms to face him and forced a smile, “Nothing, but look how long your hair has gotten,” she tugged his long hair that was falling around his face for emphasis. “You know DJ is going to want to grow out his hair too because of it. He wants to do everything daddy does.”
He brushed his hair back with his hand, “Yeah I know. I was planning to get it cut today when I go out for groceries. Are you sure you are okay?”
She nodded, not bothering to force a smile. She should have remembered very little got passed him, “I’m just being a worry wart for nothing. Don’t pay attention to me. But can I ask you something?”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, her hands landing on his chest. “You can ask me anything.”
She rubbed her fingers over his pecs. She loved the feel of those hard muscles under her touch. They hadn’t yet defined their relationship, but she was sure they were always going to be together judging by the past month and it made her giddy inside. She just had to get the nuisance of divorcing Tom out of the way and they would be free to be together. Hopefully, for the rest of their lifetimes.
“Do you mind if we stay here through summer? We’ve just been having such a good time, the three of us as a family and I would hate to go out there and have it all ruined.”
“Is that what you want?”
She nodded, “Yes.
”
He smiled down at her, “Then that’s what we’ll do. But we can’t stay hidden forever.” She got the weirdest feeling that he was saying that last part more to himself than her. “There are things we have to address, for DJ’s sake.”
DJ; the center of their universe. But why did it feel like there was more to that statement?
“What else it there to address besides my divorce from Tom?” When he didn’t answer and just kept staring at her, genuine fear took hold of her, “Damien, what is it you’re not telling me?”
“What are you guys talking about?”
Tasha turned around to face her son, already sticky with syrup, “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
DJ chewed quickly and swallowed, “Why are you so serious?”
Tasha didn’t really want to answer him, but they had a relationship based on truth. Lying to him was not an option, especially with her flaky memory.
“None of your business,” Damien saved her, walking around the island to sit next to DJ, “Eat, you and I are going out to get our hair cut and mom is going to relax in the tub.”
A long soak in the tub with some peace and quiet, it was definitely what she needed to drive herself up the wall with worry.
“How long will you be gone?”
“Two, three hours tops.” He didn’t say it, but she could see the worry in his eyes.
She could do this. Be alone for three hours. Nothing to it. “Don’t forget to get all the stuff on the list. And you two should have some fun without me. Have some father-son bonding time.” She hoped she sounded convincing. Why was she so freaked out?
“Yes! Let’s go Dad!” DJ cheered, jumping off the stool and running into his room.
“Are you sure you can stay here alone?” Damien asked, coming to her.
“Yes,” she said with conviction. “You two haven’t spent any time alone without me and I think it’s time you should. I’ll be okay here, just leave a phone behind. I want to call Elaine and see if she’s back in the country.”
“Okay. Just don’t call Uncle Mike. I’d rather not have him know where we are and ruining our vacation.”
Tasha had to laugh at that. She wound her arms around his neck. “Why Hero Damien Chan, you sound jealous.”
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t like how he thought he could order you to go back home. He rubs me the wrong way. Are you sure he’s not into you?”
She chuckled. “No, Mike is certainly not into me. We are close friends, have been for years.”
“So you’ve been told.” Damien snorted.
She pulled on his long hair. “You are not sharing me with anyone so stop being a brat.”
One full brow went up. “Brat, ha? You’re going to pay for that.” He yanked her to him and crushed his lips down on hers.
If not for the fact that he was holding her up she would have been jelly on the floor. They’d made love every night since that first time and his effect on her hadn’t lessened, it actually grew. She was in major trouble if this was the rest of their lives.
“Are you guys going to make another baby?”
Whoa! Like-minded they jumped apart and turned to face him. DJ looked serious, contemplative for a moment before he shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind a little sister or brother. Can I have both?”
“Time for you guys to be going,” Tasha blurted out, looking to Damien for help. He looked as stunned as she felt. DJ had been an ‘oops’ baby and hearing him ask about siblings took the wind out of their sails. It would probably cool things down and she saw the same thought dawn on Damien’s face. They hadn’t been using protection the past two weeks and it took a comment from their five-year-old to remind them of something they should always keep in mind.
It was so not the right time to have more kids.
“Damien, I think you should add—”
“Yeah, got it,” he answered quickly, cutting her off, “we’ll see you in a little while. Let’s go DJ.”
They were out the door fast and Tasha was left alone with just the silence and something else to worry about.
She’d just gotten the water in the tub running when she heard a knock on the door. She had completely forgotten it was housekeeping day. Now she wouldn’t be so alone for the next hour or so. She rushed to the door and swung it open, only to freeze in place.
“You’re not housekeeping.” She blurted out.
He snorted, “What gave it away, the badge or the gun?”
Tasha’s gaze dropped to the two at his waist before she looked back at him, “FBI… did Tom send you, because if he did you can tell his abusive ass that my next husband will kick his ass to the next millennium if he even thinks about laying another hand on me!” she half yelled.
He reared back, probably as shocked as she was. For the past month, she’d pushed it right to the back of her mind. She thought she was okay that Damien’s love had made it insignificant. But clearly it wasn’t, judging by how she was shaking.
“Tom who?”
“What?”
He shook his head as if trying to banish his concern before he glared down at her. “You probably deserved it.”
Now she reared back, three steps into the roomand now that she wasn’t blocking his way he stepped into the house, pushing her back a few more steps before he pushed the door closed, his eyes still on her.
“So you’re one of those? Monsters with badges?” there was a slight quiver in her voice. “And you are married. I feel sorry for your wife.” She’d noticed the wedding ring when she looked down at his badge.
His lips curled in a snarl. “You feel sorry my wife, for anyone? That’s rich!”
Okay, now he was really scaring her. Where did Damien leave the other cell phone? If she could just get to it… she looked around the room, trying to find it.
“What, looking for a weapon?”
She rushed to the fireplace when he charged her, placing a couch between them and picking up a poker as a weapon, “Listen sir, I don’t know who the hell you are but it will be a cold day in hell before I let you touch me!”
He stopped and then began to advance slowly and with each step he took towards her, she backed away, the poker held out in front of her.
“Sir? What, you don’t remember me? Damien might be stupid enough to believe that but I’m not.”
Dear lord, another thing from a past she couldn’t remember? And he knew Damien?
“Who are you?”
He snorted. “Fine, I’ll play along. I’m Dale Carson. That ring any bells?”
The only bells ringing were those telling her she was in serious danger. She shook her head, “No, it doesn’t. Maybe you should tell me something else, might spark a memory.” Or maybe not. Nothing Damien had told her about the day they met sparked anything and she loved him. Her stomach dropped.
Great timing Tasha. Admit you love Damien when an FBI psycho looks ready to punch holes into you with his gun!
“I’m your twin sister’s husband, remember Ellie.”
She shook her head vehemently, “Okay now I know you have the wrong person. My name is Tasha Turn—I mean Smith and I have one sister who is most definitely not my twin. She is four years older than me and her name is Elaine Smith.” She quickly moved back when he kept approaching, “Now, I’m ready to forget all this and not report you to your superiors if you leave now.”
“Tasha Turn—what?” he said softly before he shouted, “Answer me!”
She jumped and yelled back, more out of fear, “Turner. Tasha Turner.”
He chuckled, “You can’t even get your alias straight.”
“It’s not an alias! My husband’s name is Tom Turner, I just forget and it slips out.”
“Husband? You are married? And what role does my cousin play in all this?”
Cousin? Oh hell! Was she what had caused the rift between them? She’d had a feeling their little paradise was about to get flooded and here it is. The other shoe had dropped.
“Listen, why don’t you sit
down and I’ll find the phone and tell Damien to come back. Okay?”
She made a mistake when she turned her head to check if the phone was in the basket on the stool by the door. She saw him leap at her from her peripheral view and was too stunned to move. He grabbed the poker, ripping it out of her grip and tossing it behind him, then he wrapped his fleshy hands around her wrists and squeezed. Her left wrist that wasn’t yet healed immediately complained. The pain almost sent her to her knees and made her scream, which made him squeeze harder.
Tears burned her eyes and she squeaked, “You’re hurting me!”
“Compared to how much you hurt me, this is nothing!” he gnashed out.
What the hell did she do to deserve this! “If I hurt you I’m sorry. Please let me go!”
He shook her hard and she bit the inside of her lower lip, drawing blood. “There is no amount of apologies that can make up for what you did to me!”
“But I don’t know what I did?” she cried.
He tightened his hands around her wrists and this time she did go down to her knees, the pain turning her stomach. He jerked her back up and she had to struggle to stay on her feet.
“You don’t know?” he yelled in her face.
A slow pound started in her head, “I don’t remember!”
“What about me, you remember me?”
They both froze at the cool voice. She turned her head around to see who it was. A woman with long red hair falling around her shoulders, dressed in black jeans and boots with a matching long neck sweater that hugged her, stood at the open door. Tasha didn’t recognize her, but she did feel the familiarity of who she was. And it wasn’t good.
