Chapter 9
These events take place one day after the previous chapter
"You understand that if you ask for sole custody of your daughter, your wife's attorney will undoubtedly bring out every mistake you've made to prove you are an unfit parent. Anything you have done from the past can and will be dragged into this mess, Mr. Connors." The twenty something, blond said as he looked over the file on his Cherry wood desk.
Dave nodded. "I'm aware. But see..I've never compromised my daughter in any way so I'm not worried." He tapped his fingers against the armrest of his chair. "And it was my daughter's request that I ask for sole custody."
"I'm sorry?" The man stared in shock at his client. "Your daughter actually asked for that outcome?"
"Yeah." Dave quieted his tone. "Jennifer, my wife, she really is a good woman. She just..made some unhealthy and unfair decisions once.."
The attorney sat straighter in his chair. "Such as?"
"She married me because she knew I could better take care of her than he could." Dave bit his lip and sighed, tears coming to his eyes. "She never stopped loving either of us..I knew it..I just believed, stupidly, that once she had my last name she would give him up. I was wrong. Their connection deepened and ours dwindled. Then she got pregnant. She had been with both of us that night..there was no way to tell who the kid's dad really was.."
The young man simply listened.
"I wanted to believe it was mine. I sold that fantasy to my wife too and we decided not to tell the other man at all. And we kept the baby, raising it as ours. Jennifer's and mine. Well..Steven, her lover, saw the baby as his biggest threat because it "indebted" Jennifer to our marriage. He hated the kid…." Dave cleared his throat before continuing. "About two weeks ago, my daughter walked in on Steven and Jennifer. He went off on her, telling her she was never wanted, was a mistake..was the only reason Jennifer was still with me.."
"Wait.." The attorney raised his hand to stop the monolouge. "Are you saying this other man harmed your daughter?"
Dave thought before he responded. "Well, he hurt her emotionally."
"No. Did he physically harm your daughter?"
"He grabbed her arm, bruising it a bit. Why?"
The man wrote something onto the top paper of the file in front of him and then smiled. "If your wife allowed this, did not try to stop him, then we have a better, tighter case against her. See.. She already is having an affair, but to your knowledge she has never said or done anything to your daughter that would prove her unfit. But, if her lover, this Steven character, has hurt your daughter and your wife did nothing to stop it.." He folded his hands across his desk. "In that case, Mr. Connors. You will win your case without the waste of a trial."
Dave listened calmly as his heart pounded. Could he do this to Jennifer? Really? Forever proclaim her as unfit? Despite everything, he still loved the woman. He looked up. "Allow three hour increments of supervised visits at least three times a week. I think Charet will come around in time and want to see her mother."
The man nodded, jotting the requirement down on the file. "I'll contact your wife's attorney this afternoon. And , Mr. Connors?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to speak with your daughter sometime. To make sure she doesn't know something that you don't. You'd be surprised what kinds of secrets are kept in a child's mind."
Dave lifted out of the chair and shook the man's hand. "I'll tell her to come by tomorrow. Thanks for all your help, Mr. Rork."
"Call me Erik."
"Alright. Erik." He nodded a goodbye and stepped out of the office.
Immeadiately, the man picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Forrester Rork please. Yes. I'll hold."
"Whatcha reading?" Ty dropped onto the sand beside Charet as she laid, stomach down, sunning her back and studying an open book.
Charet smiled, turning her head to catch his gaze. "A book about kissing."
Ty chuckled. "Seriously? Cause, not really seeing how you need help there.."
She laughed, playfully shoving him. "Thanks for the ego boost, but I'm getting tired of just boring French kisses." She pointed to a paragraph. "Like here..this sounds like a cool kiss." After clearing her throat, she started reading. "The idea of this kiss is to create friction within the joined mouths by rubbing your tonuges together as fast as you can. If done correctly, the air inside the mouths will become hotter. To finish the kiss, the person who initiated it should blow the air back into their partner's mouth. This creates the wave effect needed." She looked back to him, head tilted so that her eyes weren't looking into the Sun as it blazed behind him. "It's called the Heat Wave kiss."
"Ok..now you have my attention." He smiled, pulling the book from in front of her flipping through the pages. "Are you up for any of these?" He asked as a particular paragraph caught his eye.
Charet nodded. "There's a lot of cool ones in there."
Still reading, he nodded. "Yeah..I think I found my favorite one.."
"Oh?" She sat up a little and waited for him to start reading it to her.
Ty leaned over and began to French kiss her, laying his tongue down, under hers and running his teeth from the front of her tongue all the way to the back and then chewing on it in rapid succession with a gentle bite. After a minute, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "Feel anything?"
Charet smiled at him. "Heat..if you catch my meaning.."
"Good. I did it right." He handed her the book. "It's called the Chew kiss."
She took the book and laid it in front of her. "Mmm..want to know my favorite?" Her mouth caught his in an open mouth kiss for a few seconds before she sucked all the air in his mouth into hers and the blew it back. The kiss continued for another three minutes as she repeated this process, varying the intake and the release of the air. Finally, she pulled back. "It's called the Sandstorm."
He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "How's my girl?" He smiled at her, trying to get ahold of his hormones. That dn kiss had rocketed his senses to the stratasphere. Wow. Just..wow. He needed to get his body under control before he ended up in a very awkward position. The idea, think of something else. Get his mind off of it. Now. There was a faint laughter in his head and then Ryan's voice. TAKE SLOW BREATHS AND THINK OF SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU SMILE. LIKE….UM..CHARET. How is that gonna help me? I'm already thinking about her. THINK ABOUT A SWEET MEMORY INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT. Uh..um..oh ok. The first time I met her. Her confused stare and then fainting in the hall. I had to carry her into the nurse's office.. Wait a minute.. Before he could ask, Ryan replied with an answer. YEAH. IT WAS ME SAYING SHE FELT RIGHT IN MY ARMS. OR..YOUR ARMS.
"Earth to Ty..hello?" Charet flicked his nose to get his attention. She figured he was having a conversation with Ryan because of his far off stare. Plus, she had been talking to him for three minutes now and gotten no response. "Wake on up."
"Huh..ow.." Ty put a hand to his nose and looked at her. "Sorry..inner chat."
"Figured." She smiled in understanding. "Marissa's been real talkative the last few days."
"You think.." He caught her eye, not needing to finish the sentence.
"Definetly." She nodded, picturing Ryan.
"Hey.." Ryan smiled at Marissa as he held her to him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Hey.." Marissa smiled, lifting her head and kissing him. "Being here reminds me of all the times I used to come here with Sum."
"I remember the gang outings where we hung out on the beach." He kissed her hair.
"Me too.." She sighed and laced her fingers through his, bringing his hand up to her mouth and kissing the knuckles one by one.
Ryan smiled as she did it. "I hear you've been talking more to Charet."
Marissa looked at him with an odd, but unreadable expression. "Why do you keep bringing her up when we're with each other?"
"I worry about her, Marissa." He held her blue eyes with his own. "She's really going through some major issues."
"Hmm.." She smiled, patting his arm. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were into her.But then, unhappy girls was always your weakness."
Ryan didn't say anything for a few minutes as he collected his thoughts. Was he into Charet? Was that even possible? He couldn't be. Could he? No.. Right? He loved Marissa. But there was just something..Charet was so different from Marissa.. And then he understood. " I love her."
Marissa snapped to attention, knocking his arm from her waist. "What?"
"Shh..not the way you're thinking." Ryan's arm went back around her waist and he kissed her softly. "Charet's like the sister I never had. I can really talk to her. Like what you had with Summer."
"Ok…so you, what? Help her with Ty and stuff? Talk to her about life?" Marissa tried to grasp this bit of information as best she could. Ryan was finally comfortable around a girl enough to talk about things. But the girl wasn't her. And it hurt.
"Yeah.." He nodded, pulling her closer. "I love you."
She didn't know if it was the pain or maybe the anger she was feeling, but for the first time ever, hearing him say those words..she didn't know if she believed them. "I love you, too."
They sat there in silence for a long time, just watching the other people on the beach.
Breaking the silence, Ryan lifted Marissa's chin up making her look at him. "I get the feeling you don't believe me. Marissa, there is no other woman for me. You're it. You're my only. Don't ever doubt that, ok."
Tears slowly ran down her cheeks as she nodded. "Ryan…Charet thinks you commited suicide."
He waited for her to look at him before responding. "I did."
Marissa stared at him, in shock. "Ryan…"
Ryan took her hand. "I tried to survive without you…I couldn't. So I bought a gun, went to the model home and sat in the room I stayed in that one night. Memories of us came to me and I talked to you…" He softened his tone. "Then I shot myself through the heart."
Marissa moved her hand to his chest, resting it against his shirt directly over his heart. "…Ryan.."
"It was the only way I could get back to you." Ryan moved his hand over hers on his chest. "I wanted to go home. You are my home. I went to you."
She held his gaze, and then kissed him softly, sensually. "I have an idea.."
"Yeah.." He kissed her back just as sensually.
"I'll tell you later…" She smiled.
"Wonder what she's thinking.." Ty smiled. He was back finally. Honestly.. The conversation had scared him. He'd felt his heart plummet when Ryan had said he loved Charet. He'd never been a territorial guy, but right them he wanted to pummel him. And the relief when Ryan explained that it was like a sister. He could cope with that.
"I'll let you know later.." Charet smiled at him. She knew what Marissa was thinking and honestly, she agreed with her. Besides, she was ok with it now.
Caitlyn opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings. It was really dark. She looked up and tried to place where she was. There was an open window. And a warm bulk laying beside her. She smiled as Kirk's outline came through the dark. Leaning over, she kissed his neck. "Wake up.."
Kirk lifted his head and stared at her. "Morning.." He sat up, his eyes on how very unclothed she still was.
"Morning." She smiled at him. "I've got to go sneak back home before my mother wakes up. See you later?"
He nodded. "Yeah.." Without words, he watched her get dressed and walk out. This chick was weird. He'd dropped the gentlemanly act and been rough and she had enjoyed it. Almost..craved it. He couldn't help but think that if he had gone through with it, she would have loved it. Something told him she was that disturbed.
He threw back the covers and walked across the room to the bathroom. He needed a shower and some food. After that, he figure out what to do about Charet.
"Jenny Baby, come on. We're gonna be way late!" Steven rapped sharply against the bathroom door. He ambled over to the unmade bed and zipped her black leather siutcase. She was finally coming home with him. After seventeen years, he was getting what should have been his from the beginning. This day could not get any better..and no matter what, it certainly could not get worse.
Jennifer walked out of the bathroom fully nude and dripping wet from her shower. "Two minutes." She took her thong and jeans off the bed and put them on standing right in front of him. "Do you think we could do breakfast, Baby?"
"Huh.." Steven pulled his gaze away from her uncovered breasts and smiled. "Yeah.. We can do that." He watched her pull a black lace halter over her upper body and stood up to take her in his arms. "You know, you really have the art of the tease down." He kissed her roughly, running his tongue over her damp neck and cheek.
"No. We just got out of bed. I'm showered and dressed." She laughed as his hands reached to pull off her top. "Steven, no. We'll really be late then."
He sighed and nodded. "Raincheck."
She lifted her suitcase off the bed and grinned. "Always, Baby. Always."
Trey sat alone in his booth, his eyes on the paper in front of him but his mind on the girl who's picture he carried. He picked up the mug of steaming coffee and sipped carefully. Even the heat of this liquid wasn't enough to match the heat in his veins. And it was all because of this girl.
He set the mug back onto the table and pulled the picture out, looking at it. Stay away from her indeed. At this point, it wasn't possible. He was being drawn to her like a ship to the light of the lighthouse. With that smile, so classical. And those ocean colored eyes. Blue and green..like the crashing waves.
"Anything else, hon?" A tall, fourty something waitress with hair big enough to have it's own zip code waited, smiling, beside his booth.
He shook his head without looking up to her. No. Nothing she could give him. A new life maybe. No job where he had to carry a gun and do screwed up st without questions. No drug addiction. No disturbing desire for the very girl he might be forced to kill. That's what he wanted. Nothing much..only freedom.
His cell went off and answered it quickly. "Atwood."
Forrester's cold tone was on the other end. "A new development in the Connors situation. You'll be picking her up tonight. How is up to you. Keep her till our next contact." The line went dead.
Tonight. He'd be kidnapping her tonight. He'd be holding her hostage in his apartment as of tonight. He shook his head, dropped a five on the table, and left the diner.
Kevin flicked his lighter and lit the joint, placing it between his lips and breathing it in. He thought he could live here, where she used to live, and be ok. Like in a way, he was closer to her. Sleeping in her bed without her, though, wasn't the same as having her there. Sitting out here on the little porch, going to the lifeguard stand. Nothing was the same without her. Without Marissa.
He kicked the rotten post of the railing and cursed loudly.
"Feel free to just walk in." Charet responded to the knock on her bedroom door as she laid, stomach down on her bed.
"Hey.." Ty's mouth dropped open as she sat up. "You're not wearing anything…"
Charet laughed. "I'm wearing a bra and a pair of cotton short shorts. That's something."
"Ok..you're not wearing much." He shut her door and walked over to the bed.
"Hot in here." She made a show of fanning herself and smiled at him. "If it's a problem..I can always put more on." She moved to get off the bed.
"No.." He grabbed her arm lightly and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. His hands resting comfortably against her skin on her back. "You look good."
Charet waved off the compliment. "Yeah.. Except for the huge gash across my stomach and the cuts on my wrists." She rested her head aginst his chest.
Ty winced at her words. She was so selfconscious of those injuries. He kissed her hair and lifted her chin up, kissing her softly. "Shh..you're beautiful. Those will fade in time."
"I know.." She kissed him back, looking up at him. "I just.."
"I know." He smiled, hugging her closer. "So.. It's later. You gonna tell me what Marissa was thinking this morning?"
Charet laughed, her blue-green eyes flashing more blue. "Not yet."
Ty sighed and pursed his lips. "How come not?"
"She asked me not to."
"I see.."
Charet moved her right foot in between Ty's legs, hooking it around his ankle and pulling it backward to trip them. They landed him on top of her on the mattress. "You know those dinner plans…"
Ty sucked on her lower lip before responding. "Hmm..what about em?"
She smiled at him, moving her hands to the waistband of his jeans and pulling his shirt untucked. "Let's skip em.." Her mouth captured his before he could say anything in answer, her tongue moving over his exceptionally fast in an effort to heat up the air in their mouths. When she felt the mini fever in her mouth, she blew the heated air back into his mouth to complete the kiss.
"Whoa…" He pulled back and tried to swallow so he could speak. "That was really..wow.." And it had been. First it was like a normal French kiss, then the tongue action got super fast, and then when she blew the air back..just..wow. Ryan's words broke through his thoughts. I FELT THAT ONE. He smiled, laughing inwardly at the comment. Gets to you don't it? UH…YEAH..
As Charet watched his reaction, Marissa's voice popped into her head. NOW. You sure? YES. Ok. She looked up to him. "Still want to know what Marissa was thinking?"
Ty nodded, moving to trace his fingertips against the raised, sewn up gash on her stomach. "Yeah."
"She thinks that Ryan needs to get over his fear of my room." She said it matter of factly.
"How?" He studied her a second. Was she saying what he thought she was saying?
Charet sighed, a long drawn out sigh, and responded softly. "Marissa thinks that sleeping in here will help him."
Ty almost choked on air. She was saying what he thought! "I..uh..are you ok with that?"
She shrugged. "I'd rather know it beforehand than be surprised later."
He swallowed. "In that case..yes but on one condition."
"Which is?" She eyed him quizzically.
"Marissa needs to tell you something first." He clamped his mouth shut.
"..Ok.." She had no idea what he was thinking but obviously Marissa had some knowledge. Hey, Marissa! The quiet voice responded, and it was just little wary. YEAH? Ty says there's something you have to tell me. UH..YEAH..THAT DAY IN THE POOL…. Her sentence trailed off. What? What about it? And then she understood. When they had taken over them, the couple had slept together. You should have told me, Marissa. I KNOW..SORRY.. Just so you know, I'm only going through with this right now because… YOU WANT TO. WITH TY. Yeah. Speaking of. She looked up to him. "She told me."
Ty studied her expression a long time before saying anything. "You ok?"
Charet thought about it and nodded. "Slightly annoyed. But ok. I mean..if you think about, it's not like it was you and me…"
"Kinda true." He smiled and kissed her. "So..you sure? Now?"
"Yeah and don't worry about it. Dad isn't home till late tonight." She kissed him back, her hands moving back to his pants.
Then the telephone rang.
"You think you aught to?" Ty jerked his head toward her desk where the cordless phone was.
"Probably." She gently shoved him back and walked across the room, snatching the phone off the base. "Connors residence."
Ty watched as her body tensed and stood up, walking toward her and holding his hand out for the phone. "Is it him?"
She shook her head and spoke to the person on the other line. " Is he ok?"
He blinked. Was who ok? Her dad? "Charet.." He put a hand on her shoulder to steady her as her knees buckled and she dropped the phone. "Charet.." He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her. "What's wrong?"
"Dad…wreck…cops.." She could hardly talk. Her heart was pounding and her body was numb. "Meet them at the scene.."
Oh gd. Her dad was in a wreck. He walked her back over to the bed and sat down with her. "Ok… You need to get dressed and I'll drive you there." He kissed her forehead.
Charet was unable to respond, her entire body was on shutdown. Her dad… The one person who had always been there.. Daddy..
Trey hung up the phone and leaned back in the seat of the non descript van he was driving. Forrester had been right. Telling her that her dad had been in a wreck was an easy way to get her out the house. But the shock and pain in her voice, she must really care for the man.
He thought back to his childhood. His dad hadn't exactly been all caring, but there'd been moments. And his younger brother, Ry. Ry … He still wanted to look him up. Maybe he wasn't married to Marissa. Maybe he'd forgiven him for ..that..night..
Pulling his mind back to the present, he threw the gear into drive and started down the road. The black gloves, rope, and a baseball bat were all in the passanger side ready for use. He looked away and focused on the drive. It was bad enough knowing what he'd have to do, but dwelling on it..that was just torture.
Twenty minutes later, Ty was made it to the street Charet had said the cop had mentioned and parked the Range Rover. "There's no signs of a wreck.."
Charet unlocked her door and opened it a little. "Maybe it's further.."
Ty nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the vehicle. "Maybe.." But something told him it was all a lie.
"Ty.." Charet was freaking out now. This had Kirk written all over it. But that hadn't been his voice.
Ty walked around the car and took Charet's hand. "We should go."
Then a dark van pulled up behind the Range Rover. They watched as a man in a large black sweatshirt, hood over his head, and black gloves got out of the car.
Ryan's voice rang out inside Charet's head. RUN!!!. No. Not without Ty! CHARET RUN. I'LL TAKE CARE OF TY. Hearing the forcefulness in his voice, she conceded and turned to Ty. "Be careful."
Ty listened to the sound of her retreating footfalls and stared at the guy. He wasn't making any movements. Something wasn't right..
Charet didn't make half a mile before a brown Sedan pulled up beside her and the door shot open, as an arm flew at her wrapping around her waist and hauling her into the backseat of the car. She balked, grabbing the sides of the car in a desperate effort to get loose, but she wasn't strong enough. She felt a prick in her shoulder and her world went black.
Ty opened his eyes and felt his head. What the hell? The car was still there and, upon checking his pants, so was his wallet. Since when do muggers and carjackers just decide to back down? He was totally confused. And he needed to find Charet!
Trey drove to the designated pick up spot by the beach and parked the van. A minute later, the Sedan appeared and one very angry looking guy got out of the backseat with the girl in his arms. He watched via the rear-view mirror as the man opened the van doors, dropped the unconscious girl in and shut them again. The Sedan drove off and he backed out of the area. He needed a drink, a fix, and some sleep.
