by Mary Peart
He had tried calling Tang to find out what had taken place but the man was as intractable as hell and had told him that he needed to be with his wife now so the questions would have to wait. “We did your job for you so you should be able to do the rest,” the man had told her insolently.
And that was that. Now this scumbag was refusing to confess and make their lives much easier. The other man was more cooperative, singing like a canary as soon as he had been brought in, telling them that it was all Blacks idea and he was the mastermind behind everything. And that they could believe. With a sigh he pushed back his chair and left the room. He badly needed nicotine in his veins and some coffee as bad as it was in the precinct.
Chapter 14
They went to the inn for the night. He had Carlos drive them and settled in the back with his arms around her and her head on his shoulder. They would be leaving in the morning to pick up the children from camp. He had slept throughout the night and she with him and had not woken up until after eight this morning. Madge had prepared breakfast for them and Sophia had packed a small bag for them to take with them.
“Thanks Carlos, I will give you a call when we are ready to leave,” he told the man briefly as he opened the doors for them to step out.
“Yes boss.”
The sun was already high up in the sky and there were birds chirping all around. The grounds looked lush and the scent of flowers was heavy on the air.
“What do you want to do?” he asked her quietly as he put the bags in the living room. Madge had packed them enough food to last them a week.
“I want us to go and sit by the stream.” She took up the blanket from off the couch in readiness to go.
“Okay,” he said smiling at her indulgently. He wanted to keep her very close to him after what had happened to her. He had not been back to the office even though there were still urgent things to attend to, this was much more important. He took her hand as they left the room and he made sure that the doors were locked before they headed out. He was taking no chances.
It was not very hot: at least not yet and Sophia could feel the warmth of the sun on the bare skin above her neck. She had opted for tiny denim shorts and a halter top in deep purple and had put her hair up into a careless bun on top of her head. She was not wearing a stitch of makeup or jewelry except for big gold loop earrings. Christopher thought that she looked like a wandering gypsy.
He spread the blanket over a soft patch of grass and sat pulling her between his legs. With a sigh of contentment she leaned back against his strong solid chest and gazed at the bubbling water. “It’s so peaceful here,” she murmured.
“It is.”
It was hard to believe that she had been through the horror of being kidnapped. She had bounced right back and was taking it like a trooper. But he was not sure he was doing that. There was still rage burning inside his gut at how the man had dared to grab her off the streets and he would always regret not killing him. “Comfortable?”
“Very,” she murmured. “When I was in the little room,” she felt him stiffened behind her and plunged on just the same. “I remembered you making love to me and how you would hold me afterwards. If I had died then,” his arms tightened around her almost cutting off her breath. She twisted around in his arms and her eyes met his piercing dark ones. “If I had died then you would have been there with me. I would not have done so alone.”
He looked down at her, at her exquisite face, at her parted lips and back up to her cute little button nose that their daughter had inherited and drifted down to where the little halter top showed a little of her cleavage and felt the hunger stirred inside him. He had not made love to her last night because they were both so out of it and he had fallen like a log and had not gotten up until this morning.
But now he felt the curl of desire inside him with a force that threatened to take his breath away. “I don’t want you remembering it,” his voice was cool but his touch hot as he cupped her cheek. “I wish I could erase it from your memory.” His thumb traced her bottom lip and felt the shiver of her body next to him. “If he had touched you-“ he left the sentence as he took his lips with her in a savage kiss, hauling her up onto his lap, his fingers digging into her hair and scattering the pins she had put there.
Sophia’s hands twisted into his light blue t-shirt as she hung on for leverage. She felt the heat of his body as his mouth plundered hers. Apart from the thundering of their hearts there were the sounds of the birds chirping in the trees and the water gurgling over the rocks. He lifted his head and stared down at her, his eyes unreadable as he took in her soft pliant lips swollen from his passion. She was beautiful, he thought achingly and he had almost lost her. He pulled at the strings at the back of her neck and looked on hungrily as her generous breasts came in view, the nipples big and inviting. He cupped her breasts in his palms, feeling the weight of them.
“Christopher,” she moaned as he rubbed his thumbs over her. He bent his head and took a nipple inside his mouth, swirling his tongue around it causing her to arch her body closer to his.
He transferred to her other nipple keeping his fingers on the one he had just finished with running his thumb over the stiff wetness of it. Sophia buried her fingers into his hair feeling the emotions run gamut through her.
He eased her back against the blanket and lifted his head, his hands reaching for the clasp of her denim shorts. He pulled them off her along with her tiny red silk panties. Only then did he take off his shirt and the jeans he had been wearing and then he got rid of his underwear.
He reached for her hand and closed it around the length of him, his eyes on hers. “I am always hard for you,” he told her roughly, closing his hand over hers and moving them up and down the length of him. He did not care if they were seen; he had no inhibitions when it came to her.
He climbed on top of her and took her lips, moving over her gently, his teeth nipping her tongue. He reached between them and nudged her legs apart and entered her, pushing into her until he was inside deep. She clasped her arms around his neck, digging her short nails into his bunched up muscles as he started moving inside her.
He wanted to devour her and he could feel the desire plummeting inside his body! His thrust became impatient as he gathered her hips, his breathing harsh and labored, his body shuddering with the intense passion flooding through him. God she was in his blood and in his veins and each time he made love to her it only got more intense.
He dragged his mouth away and buried his head on her shoulder as his testicles tightened. “I love you,” he groaned using his teeth to nip her shoulder as he gathered her up against him. She clasped him around the waist and lifted her body as the momentum crashed over her. She buried her fingers into his hair as they came together, their mingled cries echoing over the stillness of the quiet environment and had them clinging to each other as the shudders racked their bodies.
He did not release her; he couldn’t so he slid off her and brought her up against him so that she was resting her head on his shoulder. His arm was tight around her waist, trying to get his breathing under control.
The sun kissed their skins and they felt at one with the nature all around them. “I could stay out here all day,” she murmured into his chest.
“What about when we get hungry?” he asked her mildly. He agreed with her. It was so still and peaceful, making you believe that there was nothing wrong with the world.
“We could feed off each other,” she told him huskily lifting her head to look down at him. His hair had blown onto his forehead and she brushed it aside.
“Is that so?” he had dislodged the pins from her hair and it was all around her face and onto her shoulders, framing her face like a gentle cloud.
“Hmm,” she murmured proving it by running her tongue over his bottom lip. “Like this,” she murmured. “And like this,” she bit down on his lip making the desire wing through his body.
“Sophia,” he groaned.
“Not to mention this,�
�� she had gone down and touched his nipple with her tongue.
“Woman you are driving me crazy!” he moaned reaching down to pull her up and over him. “Put me inside you,” he rasped. She did and sank down on him, her eyes closed as he pushed up into her.
“We won’t be thinking of food.” She whispered.
*****
“Daddy! Mommy!” the three children raced towards them as they spotted them coming through the gates. There was a line of vehicles parked out front with parents who had come to pick up their children.
“Hey you,” Christopher scooped Christine up into his arms while Sophia bent to hug the twins to her. “Have you grown a little bit?” she asked holding them at arm’s length to look at their sun kissed skin. Their hair was falling down onto their foreheads much like their dads and their firm bodies looked quite healthy.
“We grew a little bit,” Christian said solemnly. “Christine said so,” he looked up at his big sister who was still in their father’s arms.
“They have and so did I,” she said with a shrug. “We had so much fun; we want to come back here all the time.”
“We do,” Christopher Jnr. said jumping up and down.
“Okay let’s go get your things.” Christopher suggested with a grin.
*****
They refused to settle down. They wanted to spend the rest of the day at the pool and splashed in the water. They wanted a picnic outside after and their parents’ humored them with Sophia agreeing to them eating hot dogs and burgers.
She had changed and put on a two piece white bikini and climbed out of the water telling them that she was getting tired. She left Christopher and the children in the water and settled back in the lounge chair to watch them as they played water volleyball. She was drying out the excess water from her hair when she looked up and saw her husband looking at her. The children were busy playing with the ball and Christopher climbed out of the pool and came over to join her.
“Done already?” she asked him as he sat on the edge of the chair and took the towel from her to finish the job.
“I thought my wife looked a little lonely,” he murmured as he wrapped the towel around the thick strands to dry the water.
“I was,” she said softly, turning her gaze to look at the children still playing in the pool. “They look happy don’t they?”
“Why shouldn’t they be?” he had moved aside to look at them. Christian was throwing the ball back to his brother and Christine was jumping high trying to catch it. “I look at them and I want to protect them from everything I know is out there and then I wonder if I will ever be able to.”
She rested her hand against his wet thigh, feeling the hair lying on his strong legs and knew she would always feel safe around him. “You will,” she told him softly.
They ate soon after and spent the day leisurely at the pool and on the basketball court. At one point Christopher went inside the house to make some calls and came back to see them playing hoops.
“Care to join us?” Sophia called out to him. He had pulled on a shirt over the shorts he had put on to go into the pool and Sophia had pulled on a t-shirt over her swimsuit.
“Try to keep me away,” he said his mouth curving in a smile as he joined them.
*****
Matthew had moved back in with Sybil. She had decided that she needed him with her and the kidnapping of her daughter had reinforced it. They were still talking and patching things up. Lauren had decided to buy the place next door and went with Sybil in the days to help out at the bookstore. They still had dinner together apart from some evenings when Lauren took Jeremy and the little Jeremy out to dinner.
“I missed this,” Matthew commented when they were sitting on the front porch having their meal. “Your cooking, the conversations we had, the whole package.” Their relationship was still tentative and Sybil was still cautious, afraid to let go of what had happened before. “I swear you cook the best fried chicken I have ever tasted.” He told her with a laugh.
“You are only saying that because you want another piece,” she teased him and his heart lifted as he saw her smile. It meant that he was getting somewhere.
“Maybe,” he said softly. “I wanted to be there for you when you were going through the ordeal concerning Sophia.”
“I wanted you there as well.” She admitted, breaking a crispy skin and staring at it. “Christopher is not a man you can reach out to. He is very reserved and only really opens up to Sophia and his children. They see the best part of him.” she looked at Matthew. “I saw him during the period and the methodical way he dealt with it. You would never know he was going through hell. He kept it all in.”
“He really loves her doesn’t he?” Matthew commented.
“With an intensity that scares me sometimes. If anything should happen to her he would not be able to function.” Sybil put the piece of chicken aside she reached across and took Matthew’s hands in hers. “I was so in love with Sophia’s father that I did not know if I could go on when he died and I did. I met you and you sparked something inside me that I had not felt for a long time. You hurt me twice now Matthew and I don’t think I could bear it if it happens a third time. I want you to be very sure before you really come back. I am a big girl and I have faced losses before and I survived so no doubt I will survive if you tell me that this is not something you can do.”
“I was wrong before and stupid.” Matthew squeezed her hands with his. “I was miserable without you and I don’t intend to make that mistake again. You don’t have to question my love ever again.”
*****
It felt strange going back to the office. There were stares and whispers and well wishers who came over to commiserate with her. Amelia came right into the office and hugged her with tears in her eyes. “Am I happy to see you.” She said pulling up a chair beside Sophia’s desk. “I almost passed out when I heard. You hear about these things happening to other people and you never expect it to happen to one you know and care about. You must have been so scared.”
“I was,” Sophia told her with a little smile. “I wish everything would go back to normal,” she added with a laugh. “I feel like a freak with everyone looking at me and commenting, trying to find out what really happened to me.”
“I think they are mostly concerned about what happened to the boss’ wife and the rest is just idle curiosity.” Amelia said with a little smile. “Anyway it’s good to have you back; I will now go and do what I am paid to do.”
She settled back in after a few minutes of memories crowding inside her mind. There were buildings that needed her attention.
*****
“I want the place put on the market immediately.” Christopher told the board in an emotionless voice. If it had been up to him he would have sold it even before Sophia had been rescued and not give a damn about the employees there but he was aware that he was thinking with his heart and not his head as he usually did when it came to business.
“Don’t you think we should take a vote on this?” Terrence Williams, an elderly member of the board asked after clearing his throat. He was probably the only one among them brave enough to ask.
“You want to vote?” Christopher’s voice was mild but somehow they suspected that it was not so.
“I think we should,” he looked around at the other men trying to drum up some support.
“What do you say gentlemen,” Christopher pushed back his chair and looked around the large table. “Shall we vote?” his tone was inflexible.
There was silence around the room as the men avoided his eyes. “Those in favor of putting up the pharmaceutical company for sale raise their hands.” He continued.
The hands went up tentatively and the vote was seven to three in favor of the company being sold.
“There you go Williams, it seems we are going to be putting up the company for sale.” He told the hapless man.
“It seems to me that you are doing this based on what your wife went through,” he almost swallow
ed his tongue as he saw the rage flashed on the man’s face. He had learnteda long time ago that Christopher Tang was not a man to be crossed. “I am not saying it is not something significant and we thank God she is back safe and sound but we happen to be running a business-“
“It is done,” Christopher interrupted him rudely and got to his feet. “The meeting is over.” He added and without another word he strode from the room.
“Hold all my calls.” He told Tiffany as he went into his office and slammed the door shut. His hands were shaking as he poured himself something to drink. He was still furious! He had spoken to the detectives on the case and they had told him that Blacks would be locked up for a very long time because as well as the kidnapping charges against him there were others as well including distributing illegal drugs to minors.
But it was not enough! He knew that Sophia was bouncing back; she was not even having nightmares because he had been watching her closely while she slept. The man had taken something from them and he did not know how to get it back. He had been checking up on her often, feeling the fear and wondering if she would go out alone. How was he going to face her going out without sending a ton of securities along with her?
He looked up as his door opened and she came in. It was past lunch time and he had not eaten but he did not feel like eating. She had worn a dress to work. Red with black diagonal stripes slashed down the middle, formfitting with very high black heels. Her thick hair was braided and secured at the nape of her neck and she was wearing diamonds at her lobes and around her throat. She looked magnificent!
“I thought you were still in the board meeting.” Her walk made one think of sex, hot blazing sex up against the wall. She came and sat on the edge of the desk in front of him, her legs crossed at the ankles. Her skirt had hiked up a bit and showed glimpses of her thighs.
“You are hiding things from me,” she murmured, leaning forward to push back the hair from his forehead. He was wearing a charcoal pin striped suit with a red shirt underneath and pearl gray tie and he looked smart and successful but she knew he was fearful for her.