“Love you too baby, bye.” Steven hung up his cell as Gwen pulled hers away from her head and laughed softly.
She spoke to herself, “looks like I can feel free to go on another date and not cancel on my parents again.”
Gwen texted Torrian the details of her father’s call then pocketed her cell phone, it was time for her game face, Kody was due in any minute and she couldn’t give a single emotion away to him.
All too soon Gwen’s door was knocked upon. This time it wasn’t Torrian bringing the prisoner to her. It was one of the others his last name was Myran. He had a wife, two kids, and a collie named Scooter. He was utterly normal compared to his job. If a person saw him they would never know he was a correctional officer at McNeil Island. He dropped off Kody and left to the chair outside of her office, effectively leaving Gwen alone with Kody for their session. Gwen gulped hard, thoughts of this man had been tormenting her, threatening to break her silence of the past and threatening to force her secret to come out.
Kody sat in the lounge chair that dominated the space in Gwen’s office, he watched her. She moved with grace and elegance. She seemed to have more color in her cheeks. Kody smirked; he knew he had something to do with his female’s happiness. He kept watching her and finger combed his hair, he made a snap decision to wait till Tuesday to deliver his drawing to his beloved. He wanted to see her one more time and deem it perfect, he began his usual lament about the prison conditions. He knew the complaints would not be heard, she didn’t believe the prison system should accommodate as much as it did to the prisoners. They weren’t in here because they were good people. Kody knew that first hand, he wasn’t a good person and these places were his home for most of his adult life.
“Kody I want to know more about your father.”
“He was a drug addict who beat my mother” Kody shrugged and looked at Gwen.
“What do you remember about his interactions with yourself?” Gwen inquired.
“He hit me, he hit my sister, he hit my mom, and he got high, and did it again.” Kody said with his ghost blank stare.
“There has to be more.” She persisted.
Kody was getting more and more angry, why was Gwen pressing this issue of his childhood, of his father? She knew he hated the prick that raised him, why was she dwelling. He stood up and began pacing; Gwen sat up and placed her hands on her desk as if she were preparing for an assault. He rolled his eyes and looked out of the window.
“Gwen just shut the fuck up about my father move on.” He cracked his knuckles.
“Please Kody do not curse at me, just calm down. I am only asking questions.” Her voice confirmed his suspicions, she was afraid of him.
“I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIM, SO SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT HIM.” Kody was yelling at this point. She needed to be a good bitch and do what he said.
“Fine,” She said her chin jutting out momentarily, “I thought it would help you but if you’re going to be a prick then we’ll move on.”
“Woman with a foul mouth.” Kody chuckled darkly.
“Back to the subject, please Kody.”
“You mean keep talking about myself so you can take little notes and determine that I’m fucking bat shit insane?”
“Yes.” She was getting short, Kody cursed mentally he was supposed to be getting closer to her not pushing her away.
“Fine, perhaps my first crimes will sate your hunger for knowledge today.” Kody watched Gwen’s eyes flicker to something under her desk; he ignored it and continued to talk as he paced back and forth.
What felt like too long passed before the hour of therapy ended with Kody? She was exhausted. Every time he began talking about a new crime his lips spread into a smile, each crime worse than the last. He began slow, but escalated fast. He had already had several arrests on his record by the time he was fifteen. Gwen slumped into her chair when Myran came by and collected Kody and took him back to his cell, keeping her past a secret was tiring. She collected her items and walked to the ferry to get back to the mainland. Soon she was joined by Torrian, his mood still buoyant from his good day, Gwen envied him for his mood, and the fact an inmate in the prison they worked at didn’t have intimate knowledge about him and have been inside her in every sense of the word. She shuddered before Torrian broke the silence as the boat moved through the waves towards the mainland.
“You look tense babe.” He moved to rub her shoulders.
“Captain Obvious strikes again.” Her tone was scathing even to her ears.
“Ouch, do you want to talk about it?”
She sighed heavily, regretting her attitude with him. “You’re stealing my line you know…”
“Yeah, think you’re rubbing off on me Gwen.”
“I’m sorry, about snapping at you. This prisoner just got to me. He actually had the gall to yell at me in my damn office.”
“Who?” Torrian stood up ready to walk off the boat and find the offender.
“Kody McQueen, I was pressing him about his father and he just snapped at me. He was doing the cursing and pacing bit.”
“He cursed at you?” Torrian’s gaze went from soft to lethal in just seconds.
“Not the first time I’ve been cursed at Torrian.” She captured his hand to try and calm him.
“He still needs to learn some manners.” He cracked his knuckles to emphasize his point Gwen just rolled her eyes at the movement.
“Torrian let’s just go to my place and have a couple of drinks and talk. If you still want to.”
“Yeah, I’ll follow you there.” He said as they parted the boat.
“See you there.” Gwen said wistfully.
“You know it.” Torrian gave a breath taking crooked smile and Gwen went weak at the knees, it was his greatest weapon.
In the short week that Torrian had been coming to Gwen’s they developed a routine. Torrian watched over Gwen as she entered her home, he went to the living room while she flipped through her mail, after Torrian turned on the television, put it on the news, and left the volume low, then he would go to the kitchen and help Gwen make drinks or get the beers from the fridge while she checked any messages she had at home. After that the couple was seated on the couch and relaxing from their long day.
“Babe, why was McQueen stressing you today?” Torrian asked as he drained his first beer.
“He just is a very intense individual.” She lied and fumbled with the lip of her beer.
“Yeah, he’s insane, but why is he stressing you?” He pushed.
“He just was, his past is complicated.” Gwen wished she could say my past or our past but this was for the best, she was lying to protect her job.
“You’re lying to me, what did he do to you?” Torrian’s question was met by silence, which fueled his fiery rage more.
She finally answered in a small voice. “Nothing Torrian, Kody is just…”
“Bullshit Gwen, you may be able to lie to the others but not me, something happened, you’re wrapped up tighter than a tick’s ass and you want me to believe that he didn’t do something to you?” Torrian seemed to grow with his anger.
Gwen’s eyes clouded with tears, the falling drops stopped Torrian’s rant from continuing. He pulled her onto his lap and brushed her hair from around her shoulders.
“Damn it Gwen I’m sorry. I’m an ass-hat. I just was worried about what he could have done to you. I’m an overbearing ass-hat. Can you forgive me?”
“Torrian it’s not like I want to keep my past secret, it’s just I can’t tell anyone even though if I could tell someone I would tell you.”
“Nothing could be so bad that you have to bare it alone.”
“This I have to keep for myself, Torrian, please. I just can’t share this one.”
“Fine, I give. Just know that if he hurts you he deals with me and the other guards.”
Gwen gave a heavy sigh and pressed her head to Torrian’s chest. His scent was overpowering, she pressed her lips to his neck and his entire body tensed.
“Deal.”
She took control of his momentary distraction and pressed her lips to his. This kiss was their undoing. Torrian’s fingers moved with dexterity through the buttons of her blouse, soon the white lace of her bra and the light peach color of her bosom entranced him. He was hers for the taking and Gwen’s insides screamed at her to make her move. She wanted him, and she needed him right this minute. She turned on his lap to straddle him, her hips pulsed forward wanting to feel him. Her lips never left his they deepened the kiss; her hands went to the collar of his shirt unbuttoning it so she could get closer. She wanted every part of him right this minute. Gwen pressed herself against Torrian completely, an unspoken request which he responded to by leaning back, allowing more of her to claim even more of him.
Torrian’s hands moved up and down her back, the cool sensation caused Gwen to gasp wildly. He looked deep into her clear blue eyes. He felt as if her gaze went through his body, to his soul and straight to his heart taking it for her own. He nipped her lip between his perfect teeth, what was between his lips he ran over with his tongue, her eyes dilated with the pleasure. The energy crackled between them and Torrian placed his face to hers again, his strong arms kept her pressed tight against him, his sex was rigid and begging to be freed. He gripped her hips and rubbed them, her body responded with intense shuddering. Their eyes remained locked together, before Gwen broke the kiss and climbed off of him too fast for him to recognize what was happening. Her blouse hung open, her mounds moving up and down with her heaving chest, they both were in need of air.
“What’s wrong Gwen?” Torrian spoke first.
“I… I can’t, not tonight.” Gwen’s words were choked out.
“Baby, what we just did almost got me off,” he motioned down to his crotch, the bulge quite evident, he almost laughed when Gwen’s eyes took him in and she coughed, “Are you okay though?”
“I am, I just need more time. I thought I was. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Torrian grabbed her chin and brought her face to his for a sweet simple kiss.
“You’re too good.”
“Yeah just keep telling yourself that, now put the dynamic duo away before I stop being so good.” He tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
Gwen started to button up her blouse; the time had passed quickly between them. They were making out like teenagers for what felt like hours, Gwen’s lips were throbbing from the intensity. Her body was glowing from the encounter. Torrian’s body had responded in a gracious way. He felt the warmth pool between her legs, which drove him insane. He was still in need of relief only she could offer, but he kept his intense desire for her quelled.
“I should get going.” Torrian stated with his eyes still devouring the sight of Gwen flushed from the near sexual encounter.
“Yes.” Gwen was only able to swallow; her mind was on the encounter as well, her eyes distant.
“I’ll see you tomorrow baby, and bring a change of clothes to work tomorrow. We have plans.” His grin was unbelievably boyish.
“What sort of change of clothes?”
“Jeans, your mariners t-shirt, sneakers.”
“So we’re getting physical?”
“Oh you have no idea.” Torrian’s cock punched up again at the thought of getting physical with Gwen, he planted one more kiss on her then they walked to the door.
“Goodnight beautiful.” He whispered.
“Goodnight Torrian.” She watched him walk away then crashed into her bed, she fell asleep.
Friday passed with a blur, Gwen was in the bathroom adjacent to the exit to the ferry when her phone chirped with Torrian’s message asking where she was. She shook her head and replied with her location then she checked herself in the mirror. Her hair was in a sensible bun, but she felt Torrian liked it better down so she pulled the bands out then pulled it up into a ponytail. She had the best of both worlds; it was back, yet it was still long enough to rest below her shoulders. She spent a few moments fussing over her image then shook her head. “When the hell did I become such a girl?”
She exited the bathroom and walked right into Torrian’s chest, this time he was not quick enough to catch her. She landed on her butt with an audible thud. Torrian’s hands were quick however to pick her up and start dusting her off.
“Sorry Doc.” He kept up the charade of propriety at work, but they were both reminded of where his hands were last night, Gwen blushed and looked down.
“I am okay, don’t fuss over me. Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah” He smirked.
“What?” She asked.
“Just excited to surprise you.” His grin spread.
“Oh?” She raised her brows.
“Yeah come on we’re taking your car home then you’re getting stolen.” He was jubilant.
“Fine.” Gwen murmured she had finally given up trying to figure out where they were going.
They dropped Gwen’s car off at her house, she double checked the locks then climbed into Torrian’s car, he had the air conditioning going, he was singing along to a Kings of Leon song “Revelry” Gwen enjoyed the song immensely. It was one of her favorites. She could listen to it over and over again. Gwen started asking Torrian questions about his past, which he answered most of them. They were enjoying their talk till they hit the infamous Seattle rush hour traffic. Gwen shook her head, how had they gotten this far without her taking any notice? She laughed. She knew the answer was because the conversation had flowed. She didn’t have to think about anything, She didn’t have to worry about ulterior motives, or letting too much information go.
They parked at Safeco Field’s parking garage and walked hand in hand to the stadium. Torrian called in a few favors to get the best seats he could. They were right off the foul line, so hopefully they would be able to catch a ball. His surprise had yet to be ruined, even though he was close to spilling the beans a few times in the car, she was so precocious, you could almost forget how intimidating she could be. He kissed the back of her hand and laid a Mariners team cap on her head, they were jostled through the crowd but eventually made it to their seats. The lush green field was just as he remembered it from years ago.
“Do you want anything to drink?” Torrian asked.
“I’m fine for now.” Gwen’s eyes were lit up with excitement.
“When was the last time you came to a game?” He asked.
“Years ago, it was with my dad. He roots for them, no matter how bad the team averages were.”
Torrian just had to laugh, he knew the statistics well, but he still did the same. It had to be a Seattle pride thing, maybe just a man thing. He waved over the beer man; he ordered two pale ales and two waters, just in case Gwen changed her mind. Torrian paid the guy and sat down to relax. He wrapped his arm around Gwen and waited for the next part of his surprise to happen, he still had a grin plastered on his face when an interruption came.
“Excuse me, but I think you may have our seats reversed.” A man’s voice sounded, Gwen jumped up before looking at the man who spoke, Torrian just laughed.
“Daddy!” Gwen finally noticed, jumped up, and hugged her father tight.
“Hello baby girl.” Steven laughed at his daughter.
“Gwen darling.” Marie spoke from behind Steven; she was in complete Mariner memorabilia.
“Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?” She stammered slightly.
“We’re here because of him.” Steven pointed at Torrian.
Gwen gawked at Torrian waiting for him to explain. “Yeah I wanted to surprise you, and you said your dad liked baseball so I called his practice and invited him and your mom down for the other two tickets I acquired.”
“Oh.” Gwen said biting her lower lip.
“Gwen, honey, we can leave if you want.” Gwen’s father spoke.
“No, its just a surprise,” Gwen smiles and hugs her parents one more time, “I just am shocked still, sit.”
“Are you going to introduce us to your suitor Gwen?” Marie spoke
, she was eyeing Torrian appreciatively.
“Yes” Gwen was slowly becoming the color of a stop sign, “Marie and Steven, this is my boyfriend Torrian, Torrian these are my parents Steven and Marie.”
“Call us mom and dad.” Marie gushed and pushed forward to hug Torrian, he laughed a little surprised at the open affection.
The foursome settled down to watch the game. Torrian and Steven were busy discussing status’ about each player as they came to bat, and rehashing the same debate when they came up for their second turn at bat. Gwen had never heard her father speak so freely with another man, especially with one who wanted to be with her. Her father was solitary most the time; he was a creature of habit. This was highly irregular for him to do. Maybe Torrian was good for him, and her.
By the end of the game Torrian and Steven were on first name basis, and were already discussing next week’s family dinner. Gwen couldn’t contain her smile. The seventh inning stretch was hilarious; her mother pulled her from the seats so they could refill the empty drinks to grill her about Torrian. Gwen found herself having a normal conversation with her mother, until Marie decided to ask questions that went to Torrian’s anatomy and if they were being safe. Gwen decided not to bring that one up until Gwen and Torrian were on their way back to DuPont.
When Torrian pulled up at Gwen’s townhouse she was sacked. He gently woke her. Her grumble was barely audible and her hand sleepily waved him off. She needed the rest so he picked her up. He tucked her slight frame against his carefully then locked his car door. He fished around her pocket for her house keys and let them inside. Gwen had forgotten her alarm this morning; there was an absence of beeping when they entered. He frowned and carried her upstairs.
“Stay.” She murmured quietly when he set her down and turned to leave.
“What?” He didn’t believe his ears.
“Stay with me.”
“If you want.” He was getting hard at the thought of just having her near him even if it was just to sleep.
“I want” Her voice sounded dreamy, she was in and out of consciousness.
The Deadliest Secret (The Deadliest Series) Page 9