Page 9 of The Sound of Secrets
I sat myself down and let out a strangled sound at the feeling of being stretched and filled. I put my palms on the center of his chest and used my pinky finger to scratch at one of the scarred spots. “What if I tell you I think the scars are sexy? You know I’ve never been onefor perfection. I find it boring.” Gods were untouchable. Humans aren’t.
Win’s hand stroked along my ribs and a satisfied smile played across his lips as I started to bounce up and down on his dick. I closed my eyes as I found the perfect rhythm and desire started to wind down my spine. Few things felt better than having one of the world’s most powerful men underneath you. I moved faster as Win urged me on. It didn’t take long for the heat to ratchet back up to where it was before we were rudely interrupted.
Win grunted my name and slipped one of his hands between us so he could press his knuckle against my clit as I rode him within an inch of his life. The added stimulation caused my breath to catch, and when I moved my hand from his chest to clutch my breast, it didn’t take too long for my body to tremble with the anticipation of release. I moved faster until I felt my pussy clamp down on the rigid length inside. My insides fluttered and quaked as Win swore repeatedly. The warmth and wetness of my orgasm was enough to pull Win over the edge shortly after. Satisfaction hummed through my body, and for the first time since our reunion, Win looked relaxed.
The lines that marred his handsome face softened, and he didn’t look like he was in agony with every breath. I felt it was a job well done in getting his mind off of what hurt him for a short amount of time.
I collapsed onto his wide chest; my cheek purposely pressed against his injured shoulder. I reached out a hand and entwined our fingers. He tried to resist when I pulled them closer to my face. Even in his post-sexstupor, he didn’t want me to get too close to the damage. Ignoring his resistance, I kissed the tip of each damaged finger.
“I’m serious. I don’t think you need to worry about how you look. It’s going to take more than a few burns and bullets to make Winchester Halliday inferior to anyone.” I rubbed my cheek against the rough skin. “I told your brother the same thing. Granted, his situation is worse than yours, but he’s still Archie Halliday. That name means more to people than his appearance. He still won’t interact with Winnie without covering himself from head to toe. It’s sad. She loves him unconditionally. He’s the only parent she has left.”
Win sighed. He dropped a kiss on the top of my head and shifted below me until our bodies separated. Neither one of us mentioned precautions before things got hot. I decided to take it as a sign he trusted me and knew I hadn’t taken any of the cute Italian men up on their offers to keep me company.
“I know. It’s not just him being self-conscious. Archie is dealing with trauma we can’t fathom. He feels like he failed Willow as a husband, and that he’s not worthy of being Winnie’s father. He firmly believes he should’ve died in that fire with your sister. My mother kept him drugged up and out of it for so long. There’s damage that might never be repaired. Right now, baby steps are the best option. As long as he’ll still see her, that’s progress.” He kissed the top of my head again and wrapped his arms around me in a hug that comforted me down to my very soul. I couldn’t recall anyone ever holding me the way Win did. “Your mom has taken him under her wing.She’s very good to him. Sometimes she remembers he’s her son-in-law, and other times she thinks he is your dad from when they were younger. Regardless, she’s always kind to him and encourages him to be part of Winnie’s life.”
My mother was schizophrenic. The severity of her symptoms varied throughout my childhood. Once Willow ran away to marry Archie, her condition took a turn for the worse. And after my sister died, there was no choice but to have her put in a medical facility that could monitor and guarantee her quality of life. I worked myself to the bone to keep her comfortable until I made the marriage deal with Win. The thing he used to effectively bribe me into agreement was the promise to take care of my mom for the rest of her life. That assurance was the only reason I felt comfortable enough to leave for Europe.
I nuzzled into Win’s embrace, feeling melancholy. “She was a wonderful mom when she could be.” And when she wasn’t, she felt like my worst enemy. “If she wasn’t ill, she would’ve been the best. I’m glad Archie gets to know what it’s like to be cared for by a parent, even if it’s sporadic. Though, she’s doing much better now that she gets to see Winnie.” But just like with Archie, she often thought Winnie was my sister when she was a teenager. Fortunately, my niece was emotionally mature enough to play along and not aggravate her grandmother.
Win used his free hand to stroke my cheek. His chest rose and fell underneath me with a big breath. “Your dad has been sniffing around the facility. Since Iown the place and the security is on my payroll, he hasn’t been able to get in to see your mom. But they’re still married even though they’ve been separated for a long time. If he gets a court order, we’re going to have to let him in. I don’t have any proof, but if I had to make an educated guess, I would bet that your old man is behind the leak about Archie’s condition. That information is worth a pretty penny, and your dad is always looking for a quick buck.” He exhaled again and his breath ruffled my hair. “If he’s the reason those shitty little kids had ammunition to tease Winnie, I won’t go easy on him.”
I lifted my head and rested it on the back of my hands so I could look at him. “Can we add not talking about my asshole father to the rules when we’re in bed?” I wrinkled my nose in distaste. “If he’s looking for her, it’s about money. He tried to track me down a while back when my name was in the news after the explosion. If he shows up to see her again, have your team let me know. I’ll deal with him. If it has anything to do with harming your family, you have my permission to deal with him how you see fit. What did you tell me on the plane? I feel the same way. I don’t have any sentimentality left where that man is concerned.”
We lapsed into silence and watched one another without blinking. It felt like a hundred words were exchanged without a sound. After a long moment, he quietly asked, “How long are you staying, Channing?”
Since I still couldn’t come up with a real answer for him, I deflected like a champion. “If you agree to let Winnie invite her new little friend to her birthday party, I’ll stay longer than I originally planned.” I lifted a handso I could rub at the frown line between his dark eyebrows. “She just wants a normal friend, Chester. Don’t deprive her of something so simple.”
It took a while for him to agree, and once he did, it was with an ultimatum. “I’ll agree as long as you promise you won’t leave without telling me. Promise to give me a chance to change your mind.”
I bobbed my head in agreement and playfully asked if he wanted me to sign another contract. His refusal was fast and adamant.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who viewed the way we initially got together as the highest hurdle we had to cross.
Win
“I have no problem understanding why a smart person sometimes does very dumb things. Mistakes happen and no one is infallible. However, I will not tolerate someone knowingly putting themselves at risk. That isn’t just stupid, it’s insulting. I’m working hard to give you a well-balanced life and to make up for what your grandmother put you through, Winnie. I’m sorry that you’re stuck being a Halliday, which means there’s always going to be conditions and consequences for the choices you make.”
I watched my niece carefully. I made a concentrated effort to speak to her in a kinder and gentler way than I would normally approach such a serious topic. I didn’t want her to feel like I was treating her like one of my subordinates. I always hated when my mother dictated to me like I was part of her staff and not her son.
Winnie refused to lift her head and look at me. She used her fork to poke at the half-eaten pancakes on her plate. I slept late because I was wrung out fromboth jetlag and sex. By the time I was fully functioning, Channing had made breakfast and slipped out the door. Winnie told me her aunt was meeting up with a friend, which was probably true. But it was also pretty clear she wanted to give Winnie and me a chance to talk without interruption. There were aspects of raising an heir to a historical family dynasty that Channing could never relate to, so it was up to me to guide Winnie correctly.
“If I promise never to ditch my security detail again, will you give Goldie her job back? I don’t want her to be fired because of me.” The teen wasn’t crying yet, but I could hear she was on the verge of tears. Her voice was small and thick with remorse.
“She wasn’t fired because of you. She was let go because she didn’t do her job properly. You made her task more difficult, but she’s a professional. She knows she didn’t follow her assigned duties. Be it keeping a constant eye on you or reporting back to Rocco that those kids were giving you a hard time.”
Winnie sniffled and her fork scraped across the plate with enough force it made me cringe. When she lifted her head, her eyes were bright with unshed tears and her mouth was clamped in a tight line.
“All kids get picked on over one thing or another. No one back home dared to say anything because they were all scared of Grandma. It’s different here. The kids at this school aren’t afraid of anything. Some of them even come from families like ours. They have as much money as we do, but their parents aren’t tragic like mine.”
I snorted and picked up my coffee to take a drink. I needed the caffeine to clear some of the fog lingeringin my head. “Any family with the amount of money ours has faces endless drama. Some simply do a better job of keeping their skeletons hidden. Haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘money is the root of all evil’? There’s truth to it. You’re suffering from small fish syndrome. You’re used to being the lone shark in a small pond. Now you’re a tiny piranha in a vast ocean.” I extended a hand to pull her plate away so the scratching would stop. “Keep in mind that even though piranhas are small, they can bite through flesh and bone. They can kill. You have the means to protect yourself, Winnie. I can only teach you so much before you have to figure out how to deal with those assholes on your own.”
She put her hands on the table and gathered her composure. I could tell she’d matured since my mother’s death. Before, she would’ve burst into tears and fallen into a near fit of hysteria if I corrected her in such a stern manner. I was proud of her for learning how to manage her emotions.
“I was wrong. It was all my fault. I didn’t want Goldie to tell Rocco about the kids picking on me because I didn’t want to get Ky in trouble. It’s already bad enough that those guys from my school know what school he goes to and that he’s on the soccer team. I didn’t want you doing a full background check on him and making more trouble because I ditched Goldie to help him after he saved me. He’s just a normal boy, Uncle Win. He refused to take money, and I had to practically beg him to meet up so I could replace his clothes that got torn because of me. You’re the one who taught me to appreciate those who come into my life without an agenda.”
I watched her carefully and bit back a sigh. “You’re still young. I’m not sure you would recognize a hidden agenda if it fell in your lap. Your aunt is a rare breed. She’s the only person I’ve ever met who doesn’t have an interest in what the name Halliday can do for her. Just because you didn’t know who this kid was before he helped you out, doesn’t mean he didn’t know who you were. Saving someone from bullies is a solid way to endear yourself to someone who should otherwise have their guard up. Running away from trouble together is a clever way to justify ditching the methods put in place to ensure your safety.”
She shook her head adamantly. “It’s not like that. Ky was in the wrong place at the right time. I think he’s very kind. He didn’t have to involve himself, but he did. Even knowing those jerks can seriously mess with his life. I don’t think his family is very well off. He mentioned his mom is raising him alone. She’s got a lot of jobs, just like Aunt Channing used to.” Winnie gave me a big, bright puppy-dog look. “I want to invite him to my birthday party and introduce him to my friends from the Cove. I don’t even know if he’ll come, but if he does, it’ll make a statement to those nasty boys from my new school. You letting him come ensures that they’ll leave him alone. Didn’t youjusttell me I had to learn how to deal with guys like them?”