When her tears were spent, Tori pulled away to remove her clothing, and then re-covered herself with her sleeping shorts and a tee. Michael had turned away as she moved, not wanting to look at her nakedness, fearing he would be overcome with desire.
The girl noticed his averted gaze, acknowledging the goodness of her mate, again feeling unworthy of such a man.
Her choices were not a provocative ensemble, and he knew what it meant, even without her saying so. Following her lead, he covered his white briefs with a pair of shorts, and they would lay together as friends that night, allowing each of them to become adjusted to the new scars that she carried on her soul.
Switching off the light, they stretched out on their bed, and Tori allowed her husband to slide his hands across her body. He did not touch her in a sexual way, but the concern he held for her easy to read in the pressure he exerted on her taught muscles. Rolling onto her belly, she felt torn by shame at the pleasure his hands held against her.
Massaging her arms and legs, he breathed deeply in a steady pattern, and she began to inhale and exhale in a slow rhythm. Using the large flat area of his hands, he pushed heavily, then pinched larger sections between fingers and palms, kneading her as if she were a lump of dough for a loaf of bread. His movements were intoxicating, and Tori relaxed into his caresses.
Working the muscles that covered her ribs and back, Michael could feel her beginning to calm herself. A boyish grin crossed his lips as he swung his leg over her and squatted on the backs of her thighs so he could press down using his weight. Pushing heavily on her buttocks with the heels of his hands, he caused her legs to tense and spasm slightly, then unwind, completely refreshed.
Brushing a few loose hairs out of the way, the fire that she kindled within him raged out of control. Shit. He wanted her in the worst way, the evidence suddenly becoming more than he could hide.
Trying to be respectful of her needs, he slid to the side and stretched out next to her, his right hand continuing to move up and down the length of her back. She lay facing him, her eyes closed, and he wondered if she had fallen asleep during his comforting strokes. He released a deep sigh, I wish I could make her see how much I love her, not realizing he already had.
Feeling his breath on her face, Tori lifted her lids and stared at him. Pushing herself up on her elbow, she gazed at his perfect lips for a moment, and he watched her deep blue eyes, patiently waiting for what she needed to say.
“I have done… some terrible things,” she finally admitted. She had never intended to tell him about her transgressions, but lying with him, she knew she had no choice, as he deserved to hear the truth.
Drawing a ragged breath, she continued, “I’m not even sure all of them were necessary. I just… got caught up somehow, in the place that I was and the role that I was playing. I let them do things to me that a wife should never have done, and I’m truly sorry.” She blinked at him calmly, gentle blue pools filled with agony.
His right hand stroking the line of her jaw, he whispered, “It’s ok. I know how difficult it was for you.”
He really didn’t, and it bothered him that she had used the words role that I was playing, as if she weren’t really a person and everything she did, an act. He had felt that way about her when they first met; only seen her as conniving and untrustworthy. It concerned him to be reminded of that side of her he did not want to see as her true self.
Feeling reassured by his understanding, Tori ran her fingers across the hair that blanketed his chest. Pushing the images of the others from her mind, she leaned over to nuzzle his face, and then kissed him as she gripped him more firmly. Michael parted his lips, allowing the kiss to deepen, sliding his hands over to indicate his desire to remove her shirt.
Moving to comply, Tori pushed herself up further, onto her knees, and he sat up next to her, lifting the garment over her head. Her breasts were beautiful, her pink rose displayed brightly in the pale light that shone in through the wide window next to their bed. Using a finger, he lightly traced the shadow of his name that she wore over her heart, and felt guilty that he had judged her in his thoughts so harshly.
Of course, this isn’t just a role, and it’s unfair for me to expect her to be like other women. She’s not, nor will she ever be, like other women. Her life had molded her, and created this uniqueness that caused him to cherish her so deeply. She had been made for him, and although others had tasted her flesh, none could touch her heart as he had, and he accepted this about her in full.
Running his hands across her rounded forms, he brought her nipples into hard pink points, and her breathing changed once more as he awoke her desire.
Tori could feel her soft folds growing moist, and she grabbed her shorts and panties, sliding them off with haste. She had avoided the alcohol, but there would be no way in hell she could resist the temptation of his flesh.
Rising above her, Michael removed his own clothing and pushed her over onto her back, parting her legs. He couldn’t wait any longer to find his way inside her. Holding himself above her with locked arms, he took her with deep even strokes, dipping to kiss her as his hips pushed against her thighs.
Pulling her legs back, Tori longed for him to punish her, to pound her and take her in ways he never had. Clawing at his back, she tried to encourage him to drive against her with greater force. Pulling down on his shoulders and running her hands along his back to squeeze his naked rear, she wanted him to push harder, faster, to make her scream, and tremble beneath him. Gazing past his brown orbs, she glared at the darkness above them, unworthy of his tenderness.
Closing her eyes, she gave herself to him in the night, the best that she had to offer. Harder, harder, please! Hurt me, baby… hurt me good, she inwardly begged. But Michael wasn’t the kind to hurt who he made love to, and in the end, their actions left her feeling empty. Reminded of the last night she spent with Enrique, she felt as if she had made another mistake, and lay in the wrong bed again.
No Rest for the Weary
Lying in the early morning light, Tori faced the window, her husband breathing deeply to her back. She had his ring on her finger, pulled out to the end so that she could turn it and play with it while she stared at the smooth, shiny surface; her mind combing over the day he had given it to her. She had placed her faith in him, because he had been so certain that they belonged together, his message still crystal clear inside the band: For Tori, love of my life.
Toying with the ring, she realized she had no real feelings on the matter. She lay with him because fate had seemed to be pushing her that way. The date, April first, Henry’s brother, and the loving way he regarded her. It had become a muddled conundrum, a puzzle with no solution. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and willed her mind to clear.
That isn’t true; I did have feelings. She had loved him dearly before the plane ride to New York. If that had not happened, they would be lying somewhere together at that moment, as deeply in love as ever. Of course, the danger would still be around them, and that would be the one good thing that had come from the events of the last seven weeks or so.
The Scorpions were gone and the couple could move forward with their lives in peace. I will love him again, in time; I have to be patient until the feelings return. Until then, she would do everything in her power to convince him her love remained strong. I must do this… I cannot allow him to be hurt by my callousness.
She had made men feel she cared for them before, she had no doubt she could do it again. Besides, what they had being most precious to her, she felt it imperative that he never doubt her devotion to him. Sliding his ring back into its proper position, she rolled over to face him.
Michael lay with his back turned to her, and as she spooned up behind him, she felt a tickle of excitement in her stomach. Sliding her arm over his side, she pushed her fingers up through the thick mat that covered his chest. Failing to get the desired response, she slid her hand down and grasped his manhood firmly.
Finding it flaccid sta
rtled her slightly, but she massaged it patiently, bringing it to life. Pulling on his side to roll him over, she straddled his legs, her wet hollow resting on his knee as she took him inside her mouth.
Michael awoke to the eager caresses of his wife’s hand and tongue, a bit surprised by her desire as she had seemed rather unhappy about their lovemaking the previous night. He had done his best to go through the motions for her sake, not wanting to stop once they had started and cause her any more grief than she had already endured.
Touching the top of her head, he signaled to her that he was awake and ready to become an active participant in her activities. Looking up at him, not ready to relinquish her prize, she breathed a small laugh, some of her old feelings of joy briefly lifting her spirits.
Rubbing her delicate female parts against his knee, she trapped her small pea between her pubic bone and his kneecap, causing her need to grow more urgent as she worked the tender spot.
Raising his head and chest, he aptly slid his fingers around her rear end. He allowed them to slither into her, the wetness beyond belief, evidence she truly felt excited to be with him at that moment.
Aware she would push him over the edge, he abruptly grasped her chin, raising her mouth and grabbing himself firmly to try and hold off the inevitable eruption. As soon as the urgency passed, he gripped her by the forearms and pulled her heavily on top of him.
Grasping her hips with both hands, he drove himself into her from the lying position. He loved the noises that she made, knowing she had fallen into the moment just as deeply, and he focused hard, not finishing until she had clawed at him and panted in her usual way. “God, it feels so good when you get yours, the sounds and feel of you are such a rush,” he whispered against her hair.
Pushing through her ecstasy, Michael finished himself as well, squeezing the skin that covered her ribs with lust, and she relished in the pain of his fulfillment. Oh my God, that’s it, love, mark me… make me yours!
Allowed to lay over him, she kissed the side of his neck, whispering, “I love you so much. Thank you.” Her words surprised him, as she did not often speak to him so affectionately, and he hugged her tightly, grateful to have her and knowing it must be true.
Catching her jaw to look her in the eye, “I love you too, Mrs. Anderson.” He grinned at his own admission, cheerful at their returning tenderness.
Lying together for some time, the couple allowed their hands to explore each other while the warm afterglow subsided. Eventually standing, Tori helped her mate to his feet and cooed into the soft front of his neck as he hugged her. See? I feel more fondly of him already, and this reinforced her belief that she would, in fact, love him again, if she could be patient enough to allow it to happen.
Moving to the door, the couple peeked out to see if Brian would be waiting, but seeing the entrance to his room standing ajar, Michael surmised that their noisy encounter had driven him from the house. Slipping into the bathroom, they showered together as they had done on the day they were married, and he felt obliged to claim her against the wall, as he had done that day as well.
Tori giggled joyously at his silliness, eager to have him inside her. She relaxed against the tile and stared into his eyes with a small smile curling her lips as he satisfied himself beneath the warm spray. She wanted to love him, needed to love him, in a way she could not put into words.
Drying themselves, they dressed and went out to find the band gathered in their living room. The group spoke quietly, there seeming to be a great deal of tension between the men. Seeing the couple exit the hallway, their voices died away, and they stared at the tall, dark haired woman dubiously.
They had never seen the scar that marred her face until yesterday, and although Michael had shared some of her story with them, he had not given them much to prepare for the sight of it. She did not smile, nodding to them, “So, when will you be leaving?” She addressed the group as a whole, her tone completely void of emotion.
Michael had stopped in the kitchen to gather breakfast for them, but paused to glare at her, having heard the coldness of her words. He felt surprised she would be so eager to get rid of the only family member she had found, and then recalled that she didn’t know about the DNA test and that their connection had been confirmed.
Moving over to join the group, he mustered an excited tone, “Look, love; guess what we’ve got!” He produced the envelope that Warren La Buff had presented to them on his visit about four weeks prior.
Tori only stared without touching it, already knowing what they had required proof to believe. Looking back at her brother, she drew a deep breath before she spoke. “Your name isn’t Brian Madson is it?” She uttered the words as if they were a statement as she already knew the answer.
He stared at her, not sure what she thought or why she asked. Her voice sounded angry and confused him further as to her motives. Finally, he shook his head, “No, my name is Daniel Peters. I changed it when we cut the first album.”
Tori nodded, staring at him as she considered this. She had begun to have memories, small and intermittent. I shared many of them with Brett; more than I should have. She got the impression her brother had not liked her when they were kids any more than he had liked her before he knew her identity. Shaking her head, she raised an eyebrow at him, “It’s time for you to go home.”
Walking over to the kitchen, she began to help with breakfast for her husband and herself, “Here, baby; let me make the eggs.”
Michael gazed at his wife as she talked to him sweetly and smiled at him whenever she looked his way. And she just called me baby. Well, fuck me, this is an act after all. Looking down his nose at her, he recalled her reassurance before their shower. I wonder who she’s trying to convince, me or herself.
The band busily agreed with her, Cody taking up the cause, “Come on man, it’s time we headed for home. The group that vandalized our place has been dealt with, and we all have lives to get back to.”
Brian only stared at his lead singer with a slack jaw, trying to decide how to break the news to them without giving away too much of his plan. “I’m not leaving until she tells us what happened. Forgive me, but I don’t see dealt with as being enough proof for me that we’re really safe.”
Tori ignored his request, unwilling to share the details with anyone, even Michael. Continuing with the business of cooking the eggs, she decided to add bacon to the menu, and pulled the package out of the fridge, dropping it on the counter with a thud.
Collin joined in, trying to help motivate their guitarist, “Come on, man; you can’t tell me you wanna stay here. In this hick town? Sister or not, we got better things to do. And if it ain’t obvious enough for ya, she don’t want you here.” He pointed a thumb over at the girl to emphasize his point.
Brian chewed the inside of his cheek, feeling the anger simmering within him. Who gives a fuck what she wants? I have a say in this too, God dammit! “Yeah, I can see she’s not thrilled with the idea,” he exhaled loudly, continuing to be diplomatic, “But like I said, I’m not leaving until I’m satisfied, and there isn’t a person in this house capable of convincing me otherwise.”
“Either way, you three are free to go,” he stood up abruptly, intending to put an end to the debate, “Good luck to you, and I’ll see you if and when I make it home.” With swift jerky movements, he headed down the hall.
Going to his bedroom, he closed the door loudly and sat on the bed, staring at it, waiting for Michael to come and tell him he had to leave. Soon, he could hear voices raised, and he realized that his sister and her husband were shouting at one another. Opening the door, he leaned out into the hall while keeping his feet on the carpet to listen.
“You can’t throw him out. Half this house is mine, and I say he can stay!” Michael hadn’t raised his voice at her in almost a year, not since their journey from California. Feeling a stab of guilt at her pained expression, he tried another track, “Just let him stay a few weeks, now that you’re here. He’ll be satisfied a
nd then get bored. He’ll go home and we can be alone.”
Brian couldn’t hear her reply, so he assumed that she had either lowered her voice, aware that he could hear, or she had given up on the argument. Wow, I can’t believe he’s standing up for me, he muttered to himself. He won’t be very happy he did that when he finds out I’m not leaving without her.
Out in the front room, Tori wasn’t so sure about Michael’s assessment. Her emotions churning, she wondered why he would want to stay, and why her husband would take his side. She felt hurt that he didn’t have her back in this.
In the end, the two men won, and they agreed that he would stay for a month, and then return home. No rest for the weary, she thought as she ate her eggs and bacon in brooding silence.
Finding Yesterday
Tori didn’t like Brian being in her house. However, she didn’t like arguing with her husband more, so in the end she had allowed the man to stay. Being five years older than her, he remembered her life before the Dragons had taken her, a fact that troubled her deeply. I don’t care what he knows; I don’t wanna talk to him, to know him, or to be close to him.
The band put their instruments into a storage unit and left town, putting all of Tori’s tools and items back into her shop the best they could. As soon as they were gone, she surveyed the damage in disgust and set to work putting things in order.
Once the garage had been put back to normal, she continued to spend her time there working on her projects, but mostly hiding from Brian. He left her alone while he and Michael quietly put a few more touches on Marge’s stately structure. She didn’t bother to inquire what they were up to, only glad that he let her be.
However, after three days, he followed her into her haven and took up a seat to watch. At first she ignored him, but soon his curiosity got the better of him and he moved in closer to have a better view.
A New Life Series - Finisher Set Page 18