After a while I was surprised when Divinity kissed my cheeks before brushing my lips and said. “I’m going to miss you, and not just the amazing sex we have, but just us being together. Your arms around me at night. The kisses you give me for no reason at all and the massages.” Her smile was not just of contentment but of happiness. “I have never had anyone look after me the way you have.” She brushed her lips over mine before she snuggled against my chest.
I’d gone soft in her and I knew I should get up and clean us both, but right then I didn’t want to do anything besides enjoy the moment.
MY DAD WAS HOME, SO I’d spent the weekend at the base with him and Arron. Two days turned into four and Ryder wasn’t happy, but I needed to help my dad settle in. I had been supposed to work, but when they heard that my dad was back they let me take the time off. My brother hated being home with dear old dad when he’d just come back from being away. I wasn’t a fan of my father either. Each time he came home less human than the time before, like whatever he’d done had taken more of his soul. It took him a couple of days to get back to being what Arron and I called human again, and not be an arsehole. But this time, by Sunday night I was rethinking a lot of things, like the fact that I wouldn’t be leaving my brother with my dad, he was having major hard time settling back into civilian life.
My eyes were now open to how our father was treating Arron. He had been especially short and hard on him. I loved my dad, but I hated to admit it, I hadn’t spent time with him like I had over the weekend since I was young. When my mother had died we’d had a nanny who’d always been a buffer between Dad, Arron, and I. When I’d gotten older, I had TAFE and my apprenticeship that kept me away from my dad and his demanding and strict ways. Don’t get me wrong, my dad loves Arron and me, he is just so full on and controlling. Friday and Saturday morning Dad had stayed mostly civil to Arron, but by Sunday morning I was standing between their yelling match. I was surprised Arron hadn’t brought up Ryder or any of the Silvermans. I was waiting, but even Arron could feel something more was wrong with Dad.
I did something I surprisingly hadn’t done yet on Saturday, especially with the nagging of my work mates. I read everything I could find on the internet about the Silvermans. After that I didn’t sleep. The Silvermans were indeed a powerful family and had family and friends in almost every important country. I didn’t know how I should feel, if what I read should change anything. I didn’t think so, but it was a lot to take in. I now knew why everyone made such a big deal over them and why they seemed shocked that Ryder had such a normal job. It unnerved me the money they had. I’d had to work so hard for everything. I may have lived with my father, but I still saved sometimes for months to pay off my credit card after buying a pair of my favorite shoes or something designer. I understood why Shithead and Oakley were the way they were and could get away with it. Ryder didn’t seem to be anything like them though. He worked as a cop, I mean a detective. Now I knew more, I understood the bodyguards, but I still didn’t feel I needed them for myself. I was only a girlfriend and a new one at that.
I hadn’t told my dad about Ryder or the Silvermans. I told myself I would do it after work this afternoon as Ryder expected me back at his place on Tuesday. I knew Ryder wasn’t happy with the situation, but with Dad still not settled back into being home I wasn’t ready to tell him that I didn’t live with him anymore, and that I was in a relationship and had moved in. I didn’t think my dad would care about how Ryder felt and the curse he supposedly suffered.
I didn’t usually work Monday but with having Saturday off I took the Monday shift to make up for it. Mornings weren’t my friend. I didn’t do mornings. I was a night owl. I liked to look my best before I went anywhere, so it took me an hour on a good day to look as amazing as I did, and how I looked mattered because when people came in for beauty tips and to get their hair done, they didn’t go to anyone who didn’t look fabulous. This morning though, I was going to be half an hour late for work. Nothing had gone my way this morning, my hair still wasn’t all dry, and I’d changed my clothes twice thanks to food spillage and hot chocolate.
So I was late, but I wasn’t speeding to get to work. I didn’t think the flashing lights behind me were for me. Easing into the slow lane I frowned when the flashing police lights followed me. Unsure of what they could want, I drove to an alcove off the side of the road and groaned when they followed.
Ryder. The fucker. I bet he did this because I forgot to call the bodyguards and tell them I was leaving base. I gazed at my phone and debated calling the guards and then Ryder, when I gazed at the cops and noticed both looked young. I thought they put an older cop with a younger recruit. Reaching for my phone, I called Chad and before he even spoke I blurted, “I’m sorry. I should have called, but I’m running late and I didn’t even think to call you to tell you I swapped shifts and now was working today. Anyway, I am now on the side of the road pulled over by some young-looking cops.