Obsession: The Hollow Universe Page 20
Chapter Thirty-Two
July 2015
When I was dressed, I left my room and smiled at the Hydes on either side of the door. They’d showered as well.
“Ready?” Jonas asked with a smile.
I nodded and they placed their hands at my low back and gestured to the stairs. They escorted me like they’d done a thousand times before.
The way it felt was brand new.
At breakfast, I chatted with Robyn about her first few days with our team. Katie sat in her reclined baby seat beside me and I kept a hand on her while I ate with one hand.
When she got a case of the hiccups, I picked her up and patted her back until she fell asleep.
“You’re so good with her, Ellie,” Robyn told me.
I blushed. “I don’t know much about kids this small. She makes it easy on me though.” Had she been a big crier there’s no telling how lost I’d feel on an hourly basis. “Once she hits three or four, I’ll be more familiar. Once she can ride, I’ll feel like I know what I’m doing.”
Robyn crossed her arms on the table. “I’ve met a lot of wealthy parents over the years, Ellie. Most of them foist their kids off on others like a burden. My own parents were that way. Did someone have to convince you to get a nanny?”
“I wasn’t sure, not at first. Then I realized there needed to be one person who wasn’t distracted by me or my parents. Someone only looking out for her.”
My daughter opened her eyes and smiled when her gaze landed on mine. “You look more like Grandma every day. Get older, a little older, so I don’t feel like I’ll break you, Katie.”
She laughed at me and I sat her on the edge of the table. She reached out to touch my face and I kissed her little hand.
Unintentionally ignoring everyone at the table, I stood and walked outside to my tiled patio. The sun glinted off the pool that resembled a mountain spring.
Kicking off my flip flops, I sat on the side with my feet in the water. I scooped handfuls and dribbled it on her bare toes. She laughed so I did it again. “You’re a water baby. Yay!”
Pulling my sundress over my head, I carried her down the steps and walked around the warm pool with her. She laughed and smiled, kicking her feet in the water. I smoothed my damp hand over her hair and she kicked more.
I held her, talked to her, and I think she understood everything.
“Elliana Monica Fields, are you swimming in your bra and panties?” My mother’s scandalized voice came from the back gate as she raised her sunglasses.
Diva lifted her head, hmphed, and went back to sleep.
Without looking up, I smiled at Katie. “Grandma forgets this covers more than the bathing suits she swears look good on me.” I added in a whisper, “Selective memory.” Smiling cheekily, I said, “Hi, Mom. There are fruit crepes inside.”
Her delicate sensibilities forgotten, she sighed. “Did Si make the cream with ground vanilla bean?” I nodded seriously. “Sweet lord. I’ll be right back.” Passing the pool, she blew kisses at Katie.
I whispered with my daughter about silly grownups. “I imagine I’ll be as silly as Grandma one day. Be patient with me.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw my dad approaching the gate with his huge bay stallion.
“Ellie, you look lovely. I saw your mother heading this way.” He paused and blushed. “Honey, are you wearing undergarments in the pool?”
“Yes, Dad.”
He gave a heavy sigh then shrugged. “Better than some of those scraps your mother bought you to wear actually. Tell me you have coffee.”
“Of course. Nectar of the gods, Dad.”
He tied off the bay and walked around the pool. He motioned me over to the side so he could crouch and give us forehead kisses.
Heading inside, he waved at Katie until he disappeared.
“Dads bluff and bellow but in the end, they’re wrapped around your finger. Use your powers for good with Grandpa. He’ll be unable to resist you.”
Katie thought I was ridiculous and I chatted about all sorts of nonsense while I walked around the pool with her.
“You put her right out, Ellie.” Robyn’s voice made me look up. She held a thick towel and grinned.
I unbuttoned the cotton dress Katie wore and peeled it from her in the water, throwing it on the edge. When her diaper was removed, I set her in Robyn’s hands and watched as she was bundled snuggly.
I powered up on the side and kissed her head before taking another towel from Padme. “I’ll change her and put her down for a little while. I’m truly glad to be here, Ellie.”
“I’m glad to have you, Robyn. Make no mistake.”
My parents sat at the patio table and I kissed them both, scooped up my dress, and dashed upstairs to change.
Meeting the eyes of my bodyguards as I left my room in dry clothes with riding boots in my hand, I held my breath when I saw the expressions they wore.
The moment felt explosive.
Slowly, they slid their hands along my waist and moved in front and behind me to hug me between them. It was unlike any hug I’d ever received.
Being pressed against their warm bodies was incredible.
Lowering their heads to either side of mine, they murmured at my ears. At first, I could tell them apart but soon lost track. My eyes drifted closed.
“There’s no pressure, no rush. Let us hold you while you sleep. Let us slay your dragons.”
Dropping my boots, I lifted a hand to a muscled chest in front of me and lowered the other to the hard thigh behind me.
Anchors to keep me from losing my way as emotion flooded my system and overwhelmed my ability to think.
Hands smoothed over my shoulders, my waist. Strong fingers massaged me through my tank top. They laid soft, open-mouthed kisses along my jaw and down my neck.
My heart pounded and I panted softly.
Strong fingers tipped my head back and firm lips settled over mine. A careful exploration that made me ache.
I gasped softly as the tip of a tongue licked across my lips. A second kiss as another hand turned my face to the side. Lips that were different and the same made another careful study of my own.
Back and forth between them twice more and I was unsure if I could function.
My back touched the wall outside my room and they stood shoulder to shoulder in front of me, leaning with their forearms above my head. I didn’t remember lifting my arms to hug them but relished the opportunity.
Jonas asked quietly, “Are you alright, Ellie?”
I nodded as heat climbed from my chest to my face.
“We have to get you downstairs,” Jordan murmured with a hint of regret. “We’ll talk more later.”
My only response was a sigh of longing.
They lifted away but took me with them. Jonas smoothed my hair and Jordan straightened the strap of my tank top.
One in front, one behind, they led me back to the patio. My mother was in heaven, devouring Si’s crepes piled with fresh cream. “Ellie! If Si doesn’t give Cook the recipe for this manna from heaven, we’re going to have words.”
She glanced at me before returning for a longer look. Eyes narrowing, she opened her mouth to speak and I rushed out, “You know how he guards his recipes, Mom.”
There was a long moment of silence and she remembered to finish chewing. “Darling…” She paused again, looking between me and the Hyde brothers. “Um, don’t you have it?”
Grateful she let it go…for now, I answered, “I do but I’m of the inner circle. Spar with him. I bet he’d give it to you then.”
I winked as she laughed at the image. “I’d likely break a hip.”
Snorting, I shook my head. “Yeah right. You’d probably kick his butt.” Si placed a small bowl of cream beside her and nodded in agreement.
“You’re both outrageous. Come.”
She pulled me down in the chair beside her and stroked the back of her hand over my cheek. As usual, I felt like she could see into the heart of me.
Releasing me, she picked up her fork. Nonchalantly, she mentioned, “Your dad had the stable hands exercise Sarafina this morning. He thought you might be ready to get back in the saddle. Sarah and Thaddeus are driving Cameron over.”
“I’d love to go for a short ride. I-I’ll grab my boots.”
I remembered dropping them in the second-floor hall. The reason made me redden brightly. Padme set them beside me with a smile and a wink.
Putting them on, I pulled my hair into a long ponytail.
To Mom and Padme, I said, “Will you let Robyn know I’ll be back in a little bit?”
“Of course. Have fun, dear.” Mom dug into the second plate of crepes Si put in front of her and I chuckled as I stood.
“Love you, Mom.” Using exaggerated sign language while she chewed blissfully, she expressed her love for me in return.
Dad stood on the other side of the gate with his horse. “I wondered where you disappeared to, honey.” As I joined him, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Ready to ride?”
“God, yes.” We walked side by side to the stables that were positioned between my home and the main house. “Thanks, Dad. Today was the perfect day.”
Chuckling, he replied, “The world is your oyster and such simple things please you, princess.”
My parents had triple the amount of personal security that I did but it was rare to catch a glimpse of the men and women who guarded them behind the scenes.
Their relationship was strictly professional and I was glad my own staff dynamic was different. However, I knew I likely had many such invisible protectors now myself.
As we neared the stables, Cameron waved madly from the back of a golf cart driven by his dad down the rambling path between our properties.
I waved back with a grin. “That boy is going to be a hit with girls in a few years. Where did the time go?”
My father turned to me and took my hand. “It goes too fast, Ellie. Savor every minute and make no apologies to anyone.”
He twined our fingers and I saw tears in his eyes that clenched my heart. “You’re the best thing to ever happen to your mother and me, Elliana. I’d give everything I have to keep you safe, to see you happy.”
“I know. I love you both so much.”
His eyes closed for a moment and he cleared his throat. When he opened them, I could see the serious thoughts in his mind.
“Now that time has passed and you have your precious Katie to love, I want to say I’ve never been prouder of another human being in my life as I am of you. All of you were just…gone. The 911 call from the Vasquez family was the most terrified I’ve ever been.”
“Y-you were there when they…found us?” The thought of my dad seeing me like that destroyed me.
“You were delirious. You didn’t know who was around you. You murmured that you loved us. Then you begged us to find Hyde. To find him and save him. We’d already found them but you didn’t hear or understand.” He swallowed hard. “That was the worst day of my life, Ellie.”
“I’m sorry you were there, Dad. I wish you hadn’t seen that.”
Scrubbing angrily at a tear that escaped, he said hoarsely, “Look at you now. Healed and the proud mama of a darling daughter. You’re my life’s greatest accomplishment."
“I love you, Dad.” He hugged me hard and I said, “You can do everything right and something can still go wrong. The only people at fault were those pieces of shit who are dead now.”
Leaning back, I cupped his cheek with my palm. “Thank you for always trying so hard to make me happy and keep me safe. I may chafe at the restrictions but I’m grateful.”
He kissed my knuckles and wrapped his arm around me as we continued to the stables.
Watching the proud profile I memorized as a toddler, I said, “I was so lucky to get you as my father. I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
He squeezed me to his side as the golf cart stopped a few feet away.
Cameron jumped off and ran full out to my side. “I’ve been waiting, Ellie. I was afraid you’d never ride with me again. Mom and Dad ride too slow.”
“Not everyone can be crazy like us, Cameron.”
“So true,” he said with a sigh.
Our saddled horses were led from the stables and Sarafina nudged me happily with her nose.
“I missed you, too.” I rubbed her face and kissed her warm cheek. “Let’s tear up some dirt, pretty girl.”
Thaddeus and Sarah didn’t have stables on their estate. We stabled the colt I gifted their son gladly.
Lilith wasn’t as wild as my girl but still loved a good run. Cameron scrambled up on her back with a huge grin. “You’ll be proud of me, Ellie. I’ve been practicing.”
Dropping into my well-used saddle, I was startled when Jonas and Jordan mounted to either side of us. They appeared comfortable on horseback but never rode with me.
Bianca and Fiaaz were always my riding companions.
They each wore a shoulder holster with a matte black pistol prominently displayed. I smiled and guided Sarafina out of the stable yard with a wave to Cameron’s parents and my father.
As soon as we hit the open field, I turned my girl loose.
The feel of her pounding steps was like a memory I’d forgotten. I let her have her head and gave her the trust she earned over our many years together.
Cameron laughed beside me and the Hyde brothers were in my peripheral vision. It was perfect.
Half an hour later we topped the ridge to the pond near the rear boundary wall, dismounted, and let the horses drink.
I’d be sore later but it was worth it. I missed riding every day of my recovery and pregnancy.
Cameron was so excited he could barely stand still. He was a happy and intelligent child that was a pleasure to hang out with. He caught me up on his school while I fixed my ponytail.
I wondered what Katie would be like at his age and looked forward to such outings with her.
As we laughingly mounted to head back, Jordan stilled beside me. I knew that look.
“Jonas, movement on boundary wall.” He added sharply, “Ellie, Cameron, move! Straight to the stables.”
Without hesitation, I turned toward home. “Cameron, stay low. We’re moving fast. Stay low, understand?”
He nodded. The boy came about and nudged Lilith’s sides sharply with his knees. I angled Sarafina to block as much of his small body as I could.
We tore away from the pond and built speed fast.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jordan rode beside me, one hand holding a cellphone that he barked orders into. I didn’t see Jonas.
We entered the stable yard and the grooms took the reins to guide us all the way into the covered stalls before pulling us out of our saddles.
Jordan pushed us firmly into the panic room every building on the estate held. This one was big enough for the horses.
The door was locked down behind us. Neither of us would be allowed to leave the building until we received an all-clear from the basement command center at the main house.
I distracted Cameron with grooming the horses.
When they were unsaddled and brushed, we gave them apples and filled their feed bags. I opened the faucet for the large bucket and when Sarafina’s was full, I walked around to Cameron and Lilith.
Jordan never left my side. His weapon was in his hand, pointed at the ground. He listened to updates through a small transmitter in his ear.
Sighing heavily, Cameron said, “It sucks to be worth so much money, doesn’t it, Ellie? People without a lot don’t realize we always have a target on our backs.”
“It’s not all bad.”
“Last year, when Dad took over that pharmaceutical company, Mom and I got all kinds of threats. All he ever wanted to do was publish good books. He’s really good at making money.” He paus
ed and I watched him swallow hard. “I hope you’ll still want to ride with me, play video games, and stuff.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Cameron, nothing would make me not be your friend. Having a friend who understands the paranoia that’s part of every minute is comforting.”
“Do they taste your food if you go out?” The sad truth was that he was serious.
“Sometimes. It doesn’t get easier to have your wings clipped, but I’ll tell you a secret. A lot of the frustration is lessened by the good you can do for a lot of people who don’t have what we have. Helping other people in need is what having money is all about. I take it seriously and I hope you will, too.”
Cameron walked around Lilith to stand beside me. Clearing his throat, he said, “Ellie, I’m young but I’m also smart.” I smiled and agreed. “When you were h-hurt last year, Katie…she came from that, didn’t she?”
I nodded with my heart in my throat.
“I thought so. You’re amazing to have her. It wasn’t her fault. I think of you as a role model. You never quit, Ellie. I’ll never tell anyone but I respect you more for loving her like you do.”
“Th-thanks, Cameron.”
“And I’m just saying, if she grows up like you, I call dibs on an arranged marriage. I’ll be ten years older and that’s not so bad, you know? When she’s in her twenties, I’ll probably still look good. I’d take great care of her.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “The thought of you being my son-in-law in twenty years makes me happy. You’re like family anyway. Ten years difference in age is nothing. Men need the extra time to grow up, so their brains match their bodies.”
“Har, har. You’re so funny, Ellie.”
We leaned against the wall and sipped bottled water Jordan handed us with a smile. “You’re always welcome here, Cameron. You’re funny, smart, and mature for your age.”
“Thanks. If I was older, I’d sweep you off your feet.” Jordan valiantly stifled a sharp bark of laughter, unable to look directly at me. Cameron grinned. “As it is, I’ll wait for Katie. I have to sow my oats first, do all my manly growing up and all.”