Page 48 of Danger Close (Mourningkill #3)

Rays

Teri

The next morning, I stretched the kinks out of my body. My back snapped and crackled from yesterday’s vigorous activities. I smiled, remembering the perfection of every kiss and every touch.

Something had shifted in the air. I had woken up in a different world–one that was brighter and full of possibilities. Had Cobra lit me like the logs in the fireplace, igniting feelings I did not think could still exist in my sad, pathetic life?

The door opened, and the man of the hour strode in, with two to-go cups of warm beverages in his hands, and a bag dangling from his forearm.

“Hey, Princess.” The smile on his face was as bright as the sun that peaked through the closed curtains, cutting the room in half with its light. “How’d you sleep?”

I yawned, pulling myself up to a sitting position, scooting myself to the headboard. “The best I’ve slept in decades. You?”

I pulled the blanket up to hide my still naked breasts. He followed the movement, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

He smirked, “Same.”

I blushed. His low voice was so seductive, I felt like the girl he’d known before. I felt young and beguiled again.

He sat down on the bed beside me, the mattress dipping with his weight. He handed me a cup, and the familiar scent of Earl Gray, sweetened with a few spoonfuls of sugar. I held the warm cup in my two hands, feeling the chill that seeped in from the outside as the logs in the fireplace died away.

“I woke up so I could grab your clothes from the house.”

Ah, so that was the weekender bag that dangled from his arm.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “You’re very thoughtful.”

“Am I?” he said, as if he was genuinely perplexed by the compliment. “I don’t think anyone’s ever described me that way before.”

Was I seeing a part of him no one else did? That delighted me.

“You’ve always been considerate.” I placed my hand on his forearm. The blanket that covered me fell down to my waist, my bare breasts open to his gaze.

His mouth opened as his eyes shuttered with his breath. He moaned, “Get dressed before we both miss our appointments this morning.”

“Would that be so bad?” I was feeling coquettish.

He placed his hand on my wrist, then traced it up my forearm to my shoulder, resting gently at the base of my throat where my pulse beat an erratic rhythm, electrified by the contact. I could melt into this man…

“Yes, Mama,” he said with a chuckle. “You’ll hate me if I keep you from having time with Trinity.”

He was right. “There you are, being thoughtful again.”

The smile on his lips was radiant, pulling his plump lower lip taut as his perfect, white teeth beamed at me. “Get dressed. I’ll walk you out.”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking out of this house on my own.” I wasn’t in much pain anymore. Maybe his dick had healing properties?

“And?” He shrugged, coming to his feet, the mattress rocking as he stood. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to.”

With a wink, he said, “Chop, chop!”

I did as he said. I showered and changed, running my fingers through my hair to let it air dry.

Joe put a hand at the lower part of my back, leading me to the front door as I thanked Charlotte and Mack, again, for letting us stay in their guestroom.

They looked surprised that he was here. Charlotte had a shit-eating grin the entire time.

But they made no comment, which prevented things from getting too awkward.

Stepping into the cold morning air made me shiver. Hopefully, the car and then the diner, would have heating.

“Damn,” Cobra said, “don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back.”

He went back inside, and I continued on to meet my daughter halfway down the drive to a large, shiny truck that blinked when she pressed the key fob.

“Morning,” she grumbled, her hand on her forehead.

Probably nursing a hangover, poor thing.

“Good morning,” I said, trying to hide a smile.

Trinity had never been much of a morning person.

Judging by the noise I heard when I woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, around three a.m.—an unfortunate side effect of age—the revelries went long into the night.

They must have partied until the rays of the sun peeked over the mountains.

The door of the farmhouse opened and slammed shut. Cobra was there, his leather jacket in his hand. He leapt over the stairs, his boots landing hard on the gravel. I laughed, shocked by his display of exuberance so early in the morning.

“I’m getting tired just watching you,” I remarked as he planted a quick kiss on my lips.

“Here, Princess.” He unfurled the jacket and put it around my shoulders. “I kidnapped you when you didn’t have a jacket on.”

He nudged his nose against mine, then winked playfully.

He held my hand, helping me into the cab as though he were an old gentleman helping a debutant into a carriage. He leaned into the door for a moment, and called out, “Hey, kiddo!”

“Hi… Dad.” She said the last word hesitantly, but it made Cobra smile.

“Drive safe, you two.” He put his hand on two sides of the open door, his massive shoulders taking much of the opening. He took a look at both of us, before he took my hand and kissed the back of it. “Put your seatbelts on. Have fun, sweethearts.”

I rolled my eyes as I pulled the seatbelt on. Both of our belts clicked as Trinity turned the key in the ignition. The engine rumbled, and she slammed several knobs on the dashboard to turn on the heater.

Cobra shut the door, tapping the roof before he stepped back, crossing his arms with a crooked smile.

Trinity backed us out from the parking spot, and started down the long drive.

I waited until Cobra was out of sight before I broke our stare-off and turned to my daughter.

“The wedding was beautiful. Did you have fun?” I turned to my child.

My happiness was dented when I saw my daughter’s face. Trinity worked her jaw, her eyes hard behind aviator sunglasses. The air grew stale the longer she did not answer.

“So is that a thing, now?” she asked, cryptically.

“What thing ?” Truly, I never understood these young Americans and their idioms. Why could they never just say what they mean?

“You and Cobra.”

Was that what she was upset about?

I wasn’t sure what to say, but I tried to choose a diplomatic route. “I understand it may be a shock to you—”

“Un-fucking-believable.” She shook her head. “You always do this! You make it about me, when it’s always about you.”

She banged her fist on the steering wheel, making me jump in my seat.

“What? You’ll make him fall in love, then dump him by leaving in the middle of the night?” She laughed, her smile never reaching her eyes as she shook her head. “Just when he came back, you swoop in, and what now? How long before you push him away, too?”

I didn’t know what to say.

I knew she still blamed me for leaving the man she’d called a stepfather. I’d shut my mouth, never revealing the reasons why I fled. Never wanting her to know the pain I endured trying to keep a roof over her head, and a father-figure in her life. But…

“I was just getting to know him, and you just couldn’t let me have that, could you?” Resentment was like acid on her tongue. It burned me.

Maybe it was time to tell her. Maybe it was…

She pulled over into a small parking lot at the side of the one-lane highway. The diner looked like a cottage, with a small wheel on the side that spun from the power of the rushing creek that wove around the back.

Trinity didn’t look at me again as she turned off the engine, and stepped out, slamming the door behind her.

My heart ached again. The veneer of last night dissipated, slipping from my grasp like grains of sand. I got out of the car because what other choice did I have? Where else could I go?

I could call Cobra to come get me, but would he take my side over Trinity? No, I would not put him in that position. I’d endure, even if I had to be ostracized to another table so my daughter could have her bridal breakfast, or whatever event I’d been roped into.

Stepping out of the car, my head bowed like a chastened child, I drew comfort from the leather jacket on my shoulders. I pulled it tight around me both against the chill, and to keep me together as Cobra had last night.

“Ray!” Trinity’s voice made me stop in my tracks.

My head spun towards her and I blinked, afraid of what I was seeing.

This had to be a nightmare. A terrible, terrible nightmare.

“Trinity!” I called out, just as she threw her arms wide, giving the devil a hug.

“My girl!” Ray spun her around. His slow, southern drawl made every syllable twice as long as it needed to be. “I heard you were getting married, and I thought I’d come by to see it for myself.”

Trinity showed him her ring finger, and he laughed. His ice blue eyes sparkling.

“Well, that’s a beaut! I saw the announcement in the newspaper.

You and the son of the CIA director? Wow-wee,” he said with a smile, before he put his arm around Trinity, and his pale, cool eyes scanned the surroundings until they landed on me.

“How long has it been since I’ve seen you, sweetheart? ”

“Trinity, come back here this instant!” I stomped my foot like I was admonishing a toddler that was trying to run away.

Trinity looked puzzled and annoyed.

“Twenty years!” Trinity said, oblivious to the serpent coiling itself around her.

“Twenty years, is that right?” His smile turned into something menacing as his eyes roamed my body. “Hardly feels like any time at all. It’s swell to see the two of you. Really.”

“Trinity, get away from him.” I reached out, ready to yank her back to me, but recoiled in fear when he sent me a look that told me he’d hurt her if I did.

“What are you talking about?” Trinity shook her head like I was a madwoman.

I wanted to scream! My daughter wasn’t listening to me. She would trust anyone except for me. “Come here, Trinity.”

I couldn’t get to her. I wanted to, but my feet were frozen.

I was rooted to the spot, unable to run towards her because one glance from him, and I was struck with paralyzing fear.

Everything I’d done, all the training, all the work to make sure I wasn’t defenseless anymore was gone.

It evaporated like smoke, and I was absolutely and utterly powerless.

“Come here, Teri.” Ray extended his free arm out to me. “Come give your man a hug.”

I shook my head. I wouldn’t run. I couldn’t. Leaving my daughter alone with that monster wasn’t a thing I could physically do, but I couldn’t lunge for her and drag her away either. He wouldn’t allow it.

“Come give me a hug.” Ray’s voice grew forceful and menacing, and I kept shaking my head. “Give me a hug, Teri. Now .”

Trinity’s brows lowered with suspicion, as she looked between the two of us.

Ray let out a long, aggrieved sigh, before he dropped the hand he’d extended to me.

“That’s unfortunate, Teri.”

To my absolute horror, he went into the back of his trousers, and pulled out a small gun. He pressed it into Trinity's temple.

“Now, you’re going to come with me.” He winked, his sadistic glee at what he was about to do almost took me to my knees. “Or I’ll blow her head off.”