Gibson's Melody: (A Last Score Novella) (Last Score (Gibson's Legacy and Trusting Gibson))

by K. L. Shandwick

  Chapter Twelve

  Waiting for Superman

  Gibson

  It wasn’t until Melody and Kiran were situated in the pool house for the night that I finally relaxed. Tension gripped my body for most of the day and I was glad I ran before they arrived. I’d have found it hard to keep my cool with Melody’s mother otherwise.

  When she met me in Chicago at that gig she had been so convincing that I’d taken her to be a sweet girl who’d made a mistake out of desperation when she got with me. The woman who arrived with my child today was nothing like her at all. Kiran had shown her true colors and I was thankful for Chloe’s level nature. Any other woman would have had a knock-down-drag-out fight with her the way she kept goading Chloe. It was thanks to her I never lost it altogether with Kiran.

  The craving I had for alcohol was stronger than ever but spirits and I didn’t get on. Since I’d been with Chloe I had come to recognize alcohol was my nemesis. Alcoholic drinks always compounded stupid judgments I made.

  I fought the urge and reached for the refrigerator door. Eying the apple juice I pulled out the clear container went to reach for a glass then stopped. Chloe had gone over to the refuge center with Emma so I did the one thing that grossed her out and drunk half the contents straight from the plastic bottle.

  Piper came downstairs with her earbuds in and I knew she was listening to herself from the recording I’d made of her earlier. She was a phenomenal singer and I had no doubts the moment Syd heard her she’d be given a deal. It wasn’t just how good her range was it was the distinctive tone and the way she meshed the mix and made an individual arrangement for each song she sang. It appeared she could make any number her own.

  After all she’d been through I was tempted to hand everything to her on a plate but she had a lot to learn. It was one thing to have talent but these days that wasn’t enough. Stamina and the thirst to succeed were almost the key factors with the ability and network coming a close second.

  “I hope that’s one of my albums you’re listening to,” I said, playfully.

  Pulling the earbuds out she furrowed her brow, “Sorry I didn’t hear you, I was listening to “Waiting for Superman” by my favorite band, Daughtry,” she replied and I decided I really loved this kid. Her sly smile indicated she’d heard exactly what I asked.

  “Where’s Chloe?”

  I nodded at the window, “She’s gone over the hill,” we never referred to the retreat by name unless Chloe and I were alone.

  “I wish she’d said she was going. I’d have gone with her.”

  “She had a new family arrive so she’s gone to welcome them in. You did good today, by the way, I was proud of you.” The gate buzzer sounded before I could continue. Emma had gone with Chloe and I was expecting Jerry because Jonny had the evening off. I held my finger up as if to say hold that thought and went to look at the CCTV. It wasn’t Jerry but Simon the bass player from the band. I buzzed him in and Jerry followed in his car before the gates close again. I retook my seat in the great room.

  Simon opened the door and Jerry waved and went upstairs.

  “Yo, how’s it hangin’?”

  “Better now they’ve gone to bed,” I replied referring to our visitors.

  “It went well today?”

  “Yeah, ‘cept Kiran isn’t exactly a shrinking violet.”

  “Damn. I guess she’ll learn when you put her in her place at some point, Gib.”

  Piper had gone upstairs when the gate buzzer had sounded but came back down with a cardigan on. “I’m gonna take a short walk I feel pretty restless,” she said.

  Simon looked over at her and his tongue almost fell out. He watched her open and closed the door behind her. As soon as she’d gone I smacked him upside the head. “Lay a finger on her and you’re gonna be dead meat.”

  “For fuck sake, what do you take me for? I was only looking, she’s a kid.”

  “Exactly. Don’t be a dick, you shouldn’t be looking at all.” Simon rubbed the back of his neck and looked awkward.

  “I didn’t mean to check her out. I was worrying about how you’re gonna keep other guys out of that one’s panties.”

  My tension about him lifted because I knew what he meant. I’d had the same thoughts myself and once I knew she really could sing, and had a real crack at the music industry it made me even more nervous. If Syd really did take her on it would be down to Chloe and my guidance to coach her and ensure no dirty bastard tricked her into bed for their personal pleasure.

  From what I knew of Piper she was savvy and smart mouthed. When I saw how she dealt with Kiran and covered Chloe’s back I figured she wasn’t naïve. Chloe was around her age when I first saw her around. Not that I really knew her then.

  “She sings,” I said.

  “Doesn’t every teenage girl?”

  “That was my first reaction when she told me she sang, but no— I mean she really has some serious pipes, Dude.”

  “You heard her in the shower?”

  “I had her down in the music suite today with Melody. She can sing practically anything, Simon. No joke I felt goosebumps and the hair on my scalp stood on end. I’m gonna speak to Syd about her. It’s what she wants to do with her life.”

  “Maybe she could come and do some backing tracks for us? A female voice on a few of new numbers?”

  “No way. This kid isn’t a backing singer. She’ll sell out stadiums if she gets the right support.”

  “Why don’t you manage her?”

  “Get the fuck out of here. When do you suppose I fit that in with everything else I got going on?”

  Simon sighed, “Syd it is then. If she’s as good as you think she is you’ll need to get her some serious protection because there’s a load of horny bastards hangin’ around in our line of work.”

  My jaw ticked in anger as my teeth grated together. “No joke. If she is staying with us then she needs a detail of her own now anyway. I’ll speak to Emma, Jerry, and Jonny, maybe set up some interviews. It’s not gonna be long before she’s out at parties and…fuck! I don’t think I thought this parenting thing through enough,” I said, grimacing with worry as I ran my hands through my hair.

  Simon chuckled, “Well she’s got four dads not one if she’s yours. Len, Mick, and I will be sure to pick up the slack where we can.”

  Glancing over to him I figured they were probably the last people I’d leave her alone with. “I got this, y’all can keep your grubby paws to yourselves.”

  Simon held his hands innocently, “Whatever you say, Gibson. She’s a kid. I’d never touch her.”

  “She’s only a few months short of her eighteenth birthday, Simon. I know you like ‘em young, so you can count this as your official warning. Touch her and I’ll fucking end you.”

  “Jesus Christ, Gib. I’d never dream of—” The door opened and Chloe came inside followed by Piper. Chloe rubbed her upper arms with both hands.

  “Brr, its chilly outside tonight. I noticed the temperature dropped a lot as soon as the sun went down. Hey, Simon.”

  The temperature inside was heated but I knew Simon had been warned and let the subject drop. I took myself off to the fridge, grabbing a couple of beers then gestured for him to follow me down to the music suite.

  Once in the mini studio I played Simon one of the tunes I’d recorded with Piper that day. Wide eye he stopped mid-swig of his beer, “Fuck me, she’s incredible. Who would have thought a voice like that would come out of a kid her size?” I knew what he meant Piper couldn’t have weighed more than a hundred and ten pounds.

  We listened to her a bit more then I played him the two new arrangements I’d written. Simon played around with the base until he had the perfect beat down for the numbers then he went home. By the time I went back to the great room no one was up. Climbing the stairs I walked quietly until I reached our bedroom.

  When I opened the door I saw Chloe lying under the covers, the moon making streaks of light across the bed. Closing the door, I took myself in
to the bathroom and followed my night time routine then headed to bed. I slid between the sheets and sleepily Chloe automatically wrapped her naked, warm-as-toast body around mine. Her feet slid the length from my knee to toes then back before she coiled it around it like a snake round a tree branch. Her second aimed higher.

  My arms wound around her waist and I pulled her to straddle my body then lay her on my chest. My hands slid down to cradle the globes of her ass. Not content with holding them I pressed her body hard against mine. She was an amazing woman, my wife and lying with her skin to skin was one of my favorite things in the world to do. It definitely came before standing before a stadium of seventy thousand.

  “You were amazing today, darlin’, I know Kiran was being a bitch and tried to push your buttons. You did well not to let her get you all riled up and took the higher ground. I loved your calmness, and seeing you failing to absorb her venom was a pleasure to watch. You made me so fucking proud, Chloe.”

  I traced my fingertips lazily over the skin on her back then placed it at the back of her head, pinning her cheek to my chest. We lay silent as I waited for Chloe to gather her thoughts.

  “I didn’t feel calm inside. You don’t want to know what was going on in my head about what I wanted to do to her but it involved using a double-edged axe.” She traced her finger over my pecs and repositioned her head over my heart.

  My chest tightened at the words because Chloe would never hurt anyone so I knew it had been a horrible experience for her. It couldn’t have been easy to sit and bite her tongue when her world was threatened in the way it was by my change in circumstance.

  “You’re such a badass, Chloe. Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you,” I replied.

  “It’s gonna take a little adjusting and I know it’s not ideal Kiran living in the same place but I’ll make sure she’s far enough away not to be a burden. I’m also gonna have Melody dropped and returned by Emma so that there’s as little contact between the three adults as possible. Like I said, Chloe, she’s the mother of my kid and I’ll respect her for that but I’m not stupid enough to get into another dialogue with her once the arrangements are made.”

  I felt relieved that Gibson had the strength of character to put his foot down with Kiran.

  “Charlotte can deal with any queries she has and I’ll respond through her and when I’ve found her a property, that issue can be dealt with through the realtors and my lawyers can draw up a legal agreement.”

  Chloe lifted her head and looked up at me by the light of the moon. Her gorgeous eyes captured my attention and I stared into them. “That makes me happy. The last thing I want is for us adults to be at each other’s throats while Melody is trying to flit back and forth between our homes.”

  “Thank you, darlin’, I don’t deserve you.” My chest tightened again because although Chloe was being brave about our whole change in family dynamics they had to have impacted on her.

  “Nonsense, Gibson. Look at the shit I dragged you into at the beginning of us. You didn’t turn your back on me even in my darkest hour. You could have had any woman in the world lying here with you now, yet you rode the storm with me. We fix each other. It’s just what we do. For what it’s worth Melody is the most beautiful child I’ve ever seen. Even though you haven’t influenced her she’s you. I mean your personality runs through her. God knows what a handful she’s going to be when she’s a teenager.”

  Chloe grinned at my wide eyes because in all the time we’d been trying for a child our own in my mind they were never female. Girls were the stuff nightmares were made of. They had pimply teens with raging hormones lusting after them, spinning them lines just to dip their dicks. Whenever Chloe said she wanted a girl my blood used to run cold.

  “I can hear you thinking, Gibson.”

  I snickered, “Ya think? I’m gonna get me the biggest, scariest shotgun a license can buy, and two Barettas; maybe a Glock or two…” I was joking but not really. Melody and Piper needed protecting from dirty fuckers like I had been in my youth. It made me feel bad for all the Moms and Dads who must have seen me arriving at their doors when I was a teen.

  When Chloe began wiggling her pubic bone over my bare-naked dick it started to fill with the friction until it sprang to attention. “Oh, it’s like that is it?” I teased in a sarcastic voice then flipped her over onto her back and got between her legs. Grabbing her slim wrists, I yanked her hands above her head. My dick was already nudging at her wet entrance.

  “I see talking about serious hardware has made you wet, Mrs Barclay,” I said nudging my straining head just enough to breach her entrance. Her head tilted back like she wanted me to take her then and there but I wasn’t done making her wait.

  “What are you waiting for? Take me?”

  “Sure, darlin’, where do you wanna go?” I asked still tormenting her with my dick.”

  “I want you inside me.”

  “Like this you mean?” I slid my dick deep and pulled it back to the same position. Everything in me fought not to see how amazing it had felt when her tight passage curved tightly around my cock.”

  Chloe wriggled, twisted, and clamped her legs around my waist, “Give it to me,” she snapped. The skin on her brow creased in frustration. I leaned forward and kissed her hard my tongue demanding hers duel with mine. She promptly stopped moving and a deep muffled moan passed from her mouth to mine.

  “Ah. You really want this, huh?” I asked again taking both wrists in one hand and moving the other to circle her clit. “Jesus, baby I don’t need to ask if you’re ready for me you’re soaking down here.” Chloe’s eyelashes fell a little making her appear far more innocent than I knew she was. Flopping her legs from around my waist she spread them wide and arched up into me. I had no hesitation in taking her that time and I swallowed back my emotions when she allowed me to slide deep inside.

  Chloe’s breath hitched as her penetrative trusting stare pierced my soul. I stilled my eyes focused and only on her as we both took a little adjust to sensuality of the moment. It never ceased to amaze me how tight she was and how well we fitted together.

  As soon as I’d caught my breath I pulled my ass back and slid in deeper again. A soft needy whimper left her mouth when I drove my cock to the hilt and her passive fingers became attacking claws as she scratched at the edge of my hand in a bid to break free of my hold on her wrists.

  I scooted closer with my knees to give me better traction and began to fuck her harder, “Is this what you’re after? You like me fucking you like this? Tell me what you want.”

  “Yes— like that. Do it like that,” she commanded in a shaky voice as her tits bounced in mesmerizing circles while I drove it home.

  “This? What else? You want me to squeeze your tits like this?” I asked letting go of her wrists and grabbing her breasts firmly as I rode her harder. Chloe’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and I felt her constrict so I fucked her fast and hard.

  Small contractions pulsed each tightening her muscles around my cock until her legs began to quiver. It was the exact point that always hit me square in the chest. Watching as I brought her close felt incredible.

  No sooner had I seen the signs of her pending orgasm when her belly contracted hard and her legs shook uncontrollably. I clamped my hand over her mouth and her screams became muffled otherwise she’d have been heard down the hall. Not that I minded but we had Piper to think about.

  Seeing Chloe lost in a wave of ecstasy was what I lived for. “Fuck, Chloe, so tight, darlin’ feels incredible.” When I glanced down at her tits the red grip marks I’d made on her skin looked so fucking hot and made my dick twitch deep inside her. Suddenly the familiar tightness in my stomach grew steadily and radiated down to my balls like liquid fire. A second later I shot my load in a dozen rapid pulsating spurts deep inside her.

  Collapsing on top of her I held her tight and rolled back, pulling her on top again. Chloe placed her head over my chest and let out a deep contented sigh before lifting herself up
again to plant a small lingering kiss over my heart. “I love you,” she whispered and lay back down. A satisfied sigh of my own released for the fact even after the difficult day Chloe had faced we’d continued to keep moving forward despite the new deal we’d been served.

  Normally, our sessions between the sheets would have lasted infinitely longer before I would have let myself go but the previous couple of days had been a shock for all of us and the pressure had built as a result. I’d been uncertain how Chloe would respond to my news and was thankful for how positive she behaved, but it didn’t make me complacent about letting her know how much she meant to me.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Distance

  Chloe

  Three weeks of arrangements and Gibson had managed to pull off what would have taken the rest of us a few months to achieve. A smallholding of twenty-five acres of prime land had been identified as a suitable place for Melody, her mother, and grandmother to live. Copper Mountain was a beautiful place but I figured Kiran probably hadn’t wanted to be there. It was a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, but when I saw the property Gibson had chosen I changed my mind on that.

  I wasn’t surprised by Gibson’s choice of property because he wanted his daughter to have every comfort and be well looked after. He’d been very generous especially after Kiran had kept Melody from him in the first place.

  As soon as he opened the modest front door of the cabin the house took my breath away. Six thousand square feet of beautiful timber and stone lay hidden mainly from view to the rear of the property.

  Two thousand square feet of living space on the floor we stood on was split into a den, a small private nook in one corner with a bookcase, a second larger living room, and everything was bathed in sunlight as it shone through a huge arched window. Woodland views surrounded the back of the property with mountains to the front. I imagined Melody staring out at the lush green foliage in the summer months and the snow-covered tree tops in winter.