Serenity (Inevitable Book 5)

by Janet Nissenson

  Sasha had confided to her aunt that Hayley had begun opting out of spending weekends with her father, claiming she had a friend’s party to attend or that she didn’t feel well or that she had a school-sponsored weekend trip she really wanted to go to. Sasha had seen the hurt look on Matthew’s face each time his daughter had found some excuse not to see him, and her heart had ached for him. She had suspected that the real reason Hayley didn’t want to spend the weekends with her father was because of Sasha’s presence, and had assured Matthew it didn’t bother her in the least to give him time alone with his children. Matthew had resisted her offer at first, then grudgingly agreed, but even given the assurance that Sasha wouldn’t be joining them hadn’t changed Hayley’s mind.

  “She’s obviously going through some stuff right now,” Matthew had acknowledged. “What I have no idea, since she won’t confide in me, even when I take her out to dinner and it’s just the two of us. But Hayley needs to get over whatever bug crawled up her butt and grow up. She also needs to start accepting the fact that you’re a part of my life now, and while I appreciate your offer to not come over when she visits, that’s not a long term solution. I’ll ask Casey if he’s got any ideas about what’s up with his sister, but I doubt that will shed any light on the matter. Hayley’s just got to work through whatever’s bugging her, I guess.”

  Linda’s eyes narrowed in irritation. “Seems to me that what his daughter really needs is a good kick in the ass. I can just imagine how your own mother would have reacted if you’d pulled that kind of crap with her.”

  Sasha gave a delicate little shudder. “I wouldn’t have dared to try. I just hope for Matthew’s sake that Hayley comes around sooner than later.”

  Matthew and Casey joined them a few minutes later, both flushed and sweaty after cavorting with the dogs. Linda poured them each a glass of homemade lemonade, made with the lemons that grew in her garden, and the four of them simply sat for awhile, enjoying this late February afternoon. The sun was out, with nary a cloud in the sky, but since it was still officially winter the air temperature remained crisp.

  “We should head back pretty soon,” Matthew said regretfully. “Weekend traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge is always heavy, and Casey still has to get in some studying for a big test tomorrow.”

  “Of course,” agreed Sasha. “Just let me get my things and we can head out.”

  The big orange cat made a sound of protest as Sasha set him down on the floor, but promptly settled his fluffy body inside one of the pet beds scattered around the cottage.

  As Linda gave Sasha a hug good-by, she whispered in her ear, “Don’t wait too long to tell Matthew you feel the same way. Ah, and don’t deny it, niná. I can tell by the way you look at him that it’s love, even if you don’t think so. Don’t always overthink everything, Sasha, okay? You don’t always have to be logical or practical. For once in your life, just let your emotions rule you.”

  Sasha mused over Linda’s parting words for the rest of the evening, and if Matthew noticed her preoccupation he chose not to comment on it. Still mostly full from lunch at Linda’s, they had a light dinner before Matthew drove Casey home, with Sasha remaining behind at the condo. She always refused to accompany Matthew when he picked up or dropped off the kids at their home in Hillsborough, oddly reluctant to see the place where he’d once lived with Lindsey. She had surmised from bits of conversation with Casey that the place was enormous, more of an estate than simply a house, with all sorts of amenities like a swimming pool, tennis court, and outdoor kitchen. The thought of seeing such extravagance up close filled her with a sense of unease, and gave her cause to worry that perhaps Matthew might one day regret giving all of that up. She knew that she would never be happy living in that sort of luxury, that a simple, modest lifestyle was all she really needed to be content.

  During his absence, she ran through a yoga sequence that she planned to teach in class tomorrow, but then found herself at loose ends. At Matthew’s encouragement, she’d brought some of her things over to the condo to make it feel more like home - books, CD’s, a favorite afghan, clothes, toiletries. But the large, ultra-modern condo still didn’t feel particularly homey to her, and Sasha worried that it never would. Matthew had never discussed his plans for after the divorce was finalized, so she had no idea if he planned to continue living here long-term. She hoped not, because while the condo was spacious and elegant, with expensive furnishings and fixtures, it continued to feel cold and impersonal to her.

  The front door opened then, and a weary looking Matthew trudged in. She could tell immediately that something was troubling him, and was at his side in an instant, tugging him over to the sofa.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked quietly, her fingers automatically beginning to massage the nape of his neck.

  He groaned, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back against the sofa as she continued to work on his tense muscles. “Lindsey,” he rasped. “I’ve told you that I never go inside the house when I pick up or drop off the kids, just so I can avoid seeing her. Well, this time she was waiting in the driveway when I pulled up, so I couldn’t duck her. And Lindsey was in full-on bitch mode, let me tell you, ranting and raving about how I was neglecting Hayley, how moody she was, how depressed. Lindsey blamed all of it on the fact that you and I were together, that Hayley was just devastated that I’d found someone so quickly. It’s all bullshit, of course, meant to make me feel guilty. I pointed out to Lindsey that you offered to stay away on the weekends I have the kids, and that I make it a point to have dinner alone with the two of them once a week. But she insisted that wasn’t enough, that I was being insensitive to poor Hayley’s feelings, and that I should care more about my daughter than I do about you.”

  Sasha’s fingers stilled in his scalp. “I’m sorry she said such terrible things to you,” she said somberly. “You know none of that is true, Matthew. But if you think it would help your relationship with Hayley to stop seeing me, I - I’d understand. Truly I would.”

  “No!” Matthew bolted to an upright position, grasping her by the shoulders as he did so. His eyes were wide and almost frantic. “God, don’t even suggest that, Sasha! I love my kids, God knows I do, and I’d do anything to make them happy. But I deserve to be happy, too, and since you make me happier than anyone I’ve ever known, there’s no way in hell I’m giving you up. Lindsey’s just trying to make trouble is all.”

  “You’re sure?” she asked uncertainly. “I don’t ever want to come between you and your children, or make you have to choose.”

  “I know you don’t,” he assured her gently. “You don’t have it in you to be that sort of person. That’s just one of the reasons I love you so much.”

  She hesitated, knowing instinctively that this would be the perfect time to tell him - when he was upset and feeling guilty and in dire need of reassurance and support. Impulsively, before she could think about it too much, Sasha straddled his lap, looping her arms around his neck.

  “And the fact that you’re such a wonderful father is just one of the reasons I love you so much,” she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Matthew stared up at her in wonder, his hands threading into her wild mop of curls. “You - you do?” he murmured in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

  Sasha laughed. “I think so, yes. I mean, I don’t have anything else to compare it to since I’ve never had a relationship that lasted this long before. But I’m pretty sure that I - oh!”

  He tumbled her onto the sofa, then swiftly divested her of her yoga clothes and panties, leaving her naked beneath his fully clothed body. Sasha gasped as he kissed and caressed her with a passion and domination that he’d never exhibited before, as though her confession of love had awakened a long-dormant beast inside of him. He was aggressive and demanding, and most definitely the one in charge of their lovemaking tonight.

  His lips traced a path between her breasts, then tugged a nipple between his teeth as he fondled the other brea
st almost roughly. His mouth continued its downward path over her rib cage and belly, then lower still. He spread her thighs apart, and at the first lick of his tongue along her slit, Sasha clutched handfuls of his short, spiky hair, her hips lifting off the sofa in reaction.

  “God, that’s good,” she panted, as he continued to eat her out, his tongue flicking repeatedly over her clit as he added two fingers to the mix. With his lips sucking on her clit, and his fingers thrusting in and out of her body with rapid pumps, he brought her to a stunning, powerful climax, the inner muscles of her vagina spasming in reaction.

  Her body was still humming, her head still spinning crazily, as Matthew swept her up into his arms and carried her into the master bedroom. He set her down reverently in the middle of the big bed, and she watched in something of a daze as he began to undress. She turned into his arms eagerly as he joined her on the bed, burying her face against his neck.

  “That was perfect,” she murmured in his ear, even as her hand drifted down his midsection to find his fully erect cock. “So perfect that I’m not sure I’ll be able to return the favor satisfactorily.”

  Matthew shook his head, even as he emitted a long, low groan as she began to stroke his penis. “Sweetheart, everything you do to me is way, way more than just satisfactory,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “And none of this returning favors stuff, okay? In fact, as much as I’d love to have that pretty mouth sucking me off, I need to be inside of you right now. Need to feel a part of you. Like this.”

  He rolled her beneath him, then thrust inside of her in one deft movement. She could feel how aroused he was, how needy, and knew that the sex would be hard and fast and maybe even a little dirty tonight, and she welcomed it all. Sasha wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her heels into his buttocks as she silently urged him to go deeper, harder, faster, until they were fucking like wild things - her nails lightly scoring his back, his teeth nipping the flesh between her shoulder and neck, his hand gripping her hips so tightly he was practically lifting her off the mattress.

  This orgasm was so intense that Sasha thought perhaps that she might have fainted for a few minutes, and she was breathing so hard afterwards that she was nearly gasping for air. Matthew remained imbedded inside of her, and she could somewhat numbly feel the hot rush of his semen trickling down the insides of her thighs. Tenderly, she brushed her fingers through the damp strands of his hair, trailing a series of kisses along his brow and temple.

  “I love you,” she whispered softly against his ear.

  He lifted his head then, as if with a great effort, and grinned. “For real? I mean, you didn’t just tell me that earlier because you felt sorry for me or anything?”

  Sasha rolled her eyes. “No, Matthew. I never say anything I don’t mean, remember? So if I tell you that I love you, it’s because it’s true. And I’m sorry it took me awhile to tell you. I guess - well, this is all new to me, you know? I’m still not sure about this whole relationship thing, or if I’m doing it right.”

  “You’re doing everything exactly right,” he assured her, his fingers tracing a path up and down her spine. “And don’t forget I don’t have a whole lot of experience with relationships myself. Lindsey was really my only serious girlfriend, and that didn’t turn out so well in the end. So we’ll figure this out together, okay? As long as we’re honest and open with each other, the rest will just fall into place somehow.”

  She sighed, tucking her head beneath his chin. “There’s still the problem with Hayley. I’ve got a feeling she’s not going to be happy - or make things easy for you - until you and I stop seeing each other.”

  “Tough,” declared Matthew firmly. “I love my kids, but I love you, too. And Hayley will come around eventually. Trust me.”

  He kissed her then, and she sensed he didn’t want to think about the situation with his daughter again tonight. But even as she kissed him back, Sasha knew the problem with Hayley wasn’t going to go away that easily.

  Chapter Thirteen

  March

  “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you look so happy, Matt. And I’m fairly certain the person responsible for that is talking to your mother right now.”

  Matthew grinned at his father. “You’ve hit the nail on the head, Dad. Sasha has been good for me. In a lot of ways. I’m glad that you and Mom seem to be getting along with her so well.”

  Wade Bennett clapped his oldest son on the shoulder affectionately. “Well, why wouldn’t we be? She’s a delightful young woman, Matt, very kind and soft spoken. And as different as night and day from - well, you know.”

  Matthew nodded. “Lindsey. It’s okay for you to say her name, Dad. And I couldn’t agree with you more. Life with my ex was always stressful, always chaotic, and always tense. I feel like a completely different person with Sasha in my life. I know that after working for twelve hours I can come home to find her here, and all the stresses of the day just disappear the second she smiles at me. I think I’ve needed someone like her for a long time.”

  “I think you’ve needed someone like her your entire life,” corrected Wade. “I know you did the right thing by marrying Lindsey when she got pregnant, but she was never the right woman for you, son. And I admire you for sticking with her for so many years, for trying to do right by the kids. But it killed me a little inside each time I saw you with her, saw how much she demeaned you and took you for granted. You’re too good a person to put up with that sort of treatment, Matt, and especially from your wife.”

  “It took me almost twenty years to realize that, Dad,” admitted Matthew. “And you’re right. If it hadn’t been for Hayley and Casey, I probably would have bailed a long time ago. Hell, if Lindsey hadn’t been pregnant I doubt we would have ever gotten married, or stayed together more than a few months. I just wish she’d quit playing her little games and sign those damned divorce papers.”

  “What does your attorney have to say on the matter?”

  Matthew sighed in frustration. “Since Lindsey has officially contested the divorce, the only options at this point are to try and reach a settlement, or to take her to court. And since certain facts would most likely be brought up during a trial, I’m putting that option off as a last resort.”

  “Hmm.” Wade took a sip of coffee before setting the mug back down. “I assume these facts have to do with Lindsey’s, ah, extracurricular activities?”

  “Yeah. Except, as I’ve told you, her idea of extracurricular activities don’t include belonging to the French Club or the debate team,” replied Matthew dryly. “And as much as I’m willing to do almost anything to finally be free of her, I can’t take the risk of the kids finding out certain things about their mother. Like it or not, Lindsey is still their mom, and I refuse to say anything negative about her to them.”

  “That’s admirable, Matt,” commended Wade. “Unfortunately, there may come a time when she forces your hand to the point where you no longer have a choice. Can’t your attorneys keep all that stuff sealed?”

  “You’d like to think so. But I fear those sort of juicy details have a way of getting leaked, especially considering who I am. The media would love to get hold of a story like that, and the kids would suffer as a result. So for now at least I’m going to continue trying to reach a settlement with Lindsey.”

  Wade shook his head in disbelief. “What more can she possibly want? When you told me you were willing to give her half of everything you own, I thought for sure she’d sign on the dotted line without a moment’s hesitation. How greedy can one person be?”

  Matthew blew out a frustrated breath. “I don’t think it’s all about the money at this point. It’s her pride and her ego, too. Lindsey can’t stand the fact that I was the one to leave her. She’s always thought she was too good for me, you know. That a nerd like myself should have been grateful that someone like her ever noticed me in the first place. My moving out and filing for divorce knocked her a few rungs off that pedestal she’s always
placed herself on, and she’s trying to find a way to climb back up.”

  Wade inclined his head to the other side of the living room, where his wife Maureen was deep in conversation with Sasha. “And I’ll bet the fact that you’ve found someone else - especially someone who’s more than a decade younger than she is - really sticks in her craw.”

  “Probably. I certainly haven’t tried to rub it in or anything like that. Especially since Lindsey continues to blame my relationship with Sasha for why Hayley is so moody and depressed.”

  Wade gave a hoot of laughter. “Moody, I’ll go along with. But depressed?” He shook his head. “Nothing wrong with Hayley that taking her car keys and that damned cell phone away for a few weeks wouldn’t fix. That sort of discipline sure helped cure your sister of the nasty disposition she developed when she was sixteen.”

  “Jackie?” asked Matthew curiously. “How come I don’t remember her acting like that? Granted, she was always a bit of a pest when she was younger, and then a total smart ass when she started getting higher grades than I did at her age. But I never remember her being a sullen brat like Hayley’s been lately.”

  “You were probably away at college or grad school at the time,” surmised Wade. “But trust me, she was hell to live with for a few months. Just ask your mother if you don’t believe me. It was her idea, actually, to take Jackie’s car keys away, as well as restrict her internet access. Nothing like instilling some parental controls to fix a bad attitude real quick.”

  Matthew chuckled. “Yeah, I could see how that might motivate my sister. But while your idea has merit, there’s no way I could make it stick. Lindsey would just override anything I tried to do, insisting that what Hayley really needs is for me to move back home and be part of the family again. I can’t believe that after being separated for all this time Lindsey is delusional enough to think I’d ever move home again.”