The Cliff-Top Killer (The Sydney Harbour Hospital Series Book 8)

by Chris Taylor

  Shelby shook her head in confusion. “So you only had sex when you weren’t pregnant? Is that what you’re saying?”

  Her mother nodded, still facing the window. “Yes, that’s pretty much how it worked, Shelby. Your daddy told me he didn’t feel right about sleeping with me while I was carrying our baby.”

  “Didn’t you find that strange?”

  “A little, but you have to remember, we married young. I was a virgin on our wedding night like most good girls my age. I had no experience with men, of what happened in the bedroom. I came from an era where that kind of thing wasn’t talked about, or if it was, it was referred to in such vague terms, no one had a clue what was going on.

  “Over the years, as society changed and sex became more openly discussed in women’s magazines and then amongst women themselves, I realized it wasn’t normal for my husband to only have sex with me at certain times of the month and only when I wasn’t pregnant. I also realized it was meant to be enjoyable and that it usually lasted more than a few minutes.”

  She shook her head slowly back and forth. While Shelby couldn’t see her expression, her mother’s voice turned distant.

  “I had no idea a woman could have an orgasm, or that it was possible to crave your husband’s touch. Sex between your father and me was almost clinical—a means to an end—the getting of a child. When I found out your father was gay, everything suddenly made sense.”

  Shelby’s face burned with embarrassment. There were certain things children should never know about their parents and in normal circumstances, she’d never dream of giving voice to the kind of questions that could illicit such answers. Unfortunately, there was nothing normal about this situation and she had no choice. It was important to her peace of mind for her to understand. After this conversation was done, she’d never speak of it again.

  “Why did you put up with it, Momma? Why didn’t you leave? Your husband was gay. That little detail kind of negated the marriage contract. I think most people would have understood.”

  Her mother sighed heavily and slowly turned around to face her. Shelby expected to see sadness and resignation. She was surprised at the anger that flashed in her mother’s eyes.

  “Why would I leave him? We lived a very comfortable life. I had plenty of money, good friends, a beautiful house overlooking the beach, my children. I would have lost it all if I left him. Times hadn’t changed so much back then that the courts would have favored me with a generous settlement. There was also the risk I’d lose the kids. I consulted a lawyer. Your father was already an important presence among the legal fraternity. He had powerful friends. I was advised to sit tight and keep my mouth shut.” She eyed Shelby defiantly. “And so I did.”

  “But—”

  Her mother waved away her protest. “Don’t worry, Shelby, I did all right. Despite the fact that we both knew your father would trounce me in a courtroom, he felt guilty enough that he acceded to all of my requests. Number one on my list was that he keep his dirty little secret to himself. He promised never to tell another soul. He agreed to be discreet with his lovers. He also agreed never to touch me again.”

  Shelby stared at her mother and thought about all the sacrifices she’d made. She’d given up a chance at happiness; at sharing a life with a man she loved and who loved her back; at having a fulfilling sex life. And for what? A nice home, a comfortable existence, her children by her side.

  “Would it have made a difference if Daddy hadn’t been wealthy?” she asked, needing to know the answer.

  Her mother held her gaze. “What does that matter?”

  “It matters, Momma. You told me one of the reasons you stayed was because Daddy could provide you with a comfortable life. What if that hadn’t been the case?”

  “If you mean would I have stayed for the sake of my children alone, I guess the answer is yes. But we’ll never know because he was wealthy. There’s no changing that. You have to understand, Shelby. Things were different back then. Being a single mom was frowned upon. There was very little government support. I had no skills. I’d virtually left school and gotten married. All I knew was how to cook and clean and keep house and see to the needs of my children. I guess I could have secured work as a nanny or a chef, or even a housekeeper, but what was I going to do with my kids? The money I earned from those kinds of jobs would hardly have put food on the table, let alone cover the rent, the utilities, the school fees.

  “So, your father and I came to an agreement. It suited his purposes, too. He was a prosperous, well-respected lawyer. He had a lot to lose. A blow like that to his reputation could have been fatal. He didn’t want to take the risk.”

  She sighed quietly, her anger all but dissipated. “It wasn’t ideal, Shelby. Far from it. But we made it work and it’s worked quite well for us all these years. The nine of you were oblivious to your father’s double life and that’s the way we wanted it. And we’ve been happy as a family, haven’t we?”

  Shelby shook her head helplessly. “Yes, of course we have, but none of us had any idea! How could we have been happy if we’d known the two of you were living a lie? You must have been miserable all these years, and Daddy, too. He’s had to keep an important part of who he is a secret for most of his life. The knowledge couldn’t have made him happy.”

  “Your father made his choices a long, long time ago, Shelby. Nobody forced him into marriage. He could have found the courage to resist the pressure from his family. He could have left his village and moved to a city. Somewhere with millions of people where he would have been just another lost soul. He could have lived life openly as a gay man and nobody need ever to have known.

  “But he didn’t have that courage. When it came to the crunch, he was weak. So, he happened upon me—a pretty, innocent village girl—and he got down on bended knee.”

  Her expression hardened. Bitterness flashed in her eyes. “He stole from me, Shelby. He stole from me any chance I had of being happy, of living a normal life and that’s why I’ll never leave him. He’ll pay every day of his life, literally and figuratively. I have access to whatever money I want and he lives out his shame between the four walls of our basement. It’s the way it’s always going to be.”

  Shelby’s shoulders slumped on a sad sigh. For twenty-seven years, she’d been under the impression that her parents were happy. Okay, they weren’t exactly demonstrative with each other like a lot of other Greek families were, but she’d put that down to the fact they simply didn’t like to show their affection in public. There was nothing wrong with that. Some people were more “out there” than others. She never dreamed the real reason was because they couldn’t stand each other’s touch.

  The discovery was devastating. She’d never be able to look at them the same way again and yet, she was expected to carry on as usual. She wanted to carry on as usual. She didn’t want any of her other siblings to know.

  There was nothing she could do to help Athena. There was no undoing what her sister knew and had seen, but Shelby was still firmly of the opinion that this aspect of her parent’s lives shouldn’t be spoken about again, by any of them. On that score, she and her parents agreed. The secret would go with them to the grave.

  “I… I don’t know what to say, Momma. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for both of you. I wish your secret had remained that way. You were right in that respect. I would have been better off not knowing. You don’t have to worry about me telling my brothers and sisters. Let them keep their illusions that you and Daddy are happily married. I wish I could.”

  Her mother closed the distance between them and hugged her close. “Oh, Shelby! Honey, I never wanted you to find out. It’s the reason why I insisted your father keep it a secret. You deserved to have a father you respected, looked up to, went to for advice. Nothing has changed in that regard. Despite everything, he’s still your dad.”

  “Yes, of course,” she choked as emotion tightened her chest. She wished she could agree with her mother’s comments, but the truth was, she’d neve
r look at her father in the same way again. He’d fallen from his pedestal and never again would he rise to such heights. Yes, he was still her father and that would never change, but everything else about their relationship had been irrevocably altered. And that’s just the way it was.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Dear Diary,

  So, the secret I’ve kept hidden for so long has finally been revealed. I didn’t mean for it to happen and I can’t say that I’m relieved, but in some ways, it makes things easier. I feel like somehow I’ve found a confidante. Shelby and I have always been close. Now that she knows, I hope our relationship can deepen; we can share like we’ve never shared before. I look forward to it.

  * * *

  Samuel heard the key turn in the lock and his heart leaped in anticipation. He’d been rostered for a day off and had spent the time mulling over recipe books and then shopping for the ingredients. He’d given Shelby a key to his condo more than a fortnight ago and she now spent at least half of her nights with him. He wished it were every night, but she wanted to take things slow. The irony of that wasn’t lost on him.

  Rinsing his hands in the sink, he wiped them on the tea towel. Tossing it onto the kitchen counter, he turned in time to greet her with a kiss.

  “Well, hello, Shelby Gianopoulos. You smell terrific!”

  She wrinkled her nose. “There’s something wrong with your sense of smell, Doctor Munro. I’ve been knee-deep in birthing mothers all day. I’m sure I have just as many body fluids on me as the bed linens.”

  He pulled a face. “Gross.”

  She smiled. “You love it! I bet you miss it every day you’re away.”

  He grinned. Already she knew him so well. He threw his arms up in surrender. “Okay,” he admitted. “I do. Just a little bit. What can I say? I love my job.”

  She kissed him on the cheek. “I’m going to take a quick shower.” And with that, she disappeared in the direction of the bedroom.

  Samuel went back to the kitchen and returned his attention to the pot on the stove. The lamb shanks had been slow-cooking for five hours. The meat would be so tender, it would fall off the bones. He’d flavored it with his favorite herbs and spices, including a healthy dash of good quality red wine and he couldn’t wait to enjoy it with Shelby.

  The creamy potato mash and mushy peas were ready, as was the home-baked apple pie. He’d made sure to buy some of Maggie Beer’s Vanilla Bean and Wattleseed Ice Cream—her favorite.

  “Mm, something smells good,” Shelby commented as she walked back into the room. She was dressed in his robe and had a towel wrapped around her hair. Her face was freshly scrubbed of makeup. She looked fantastic. His body stirred. With a concerted effort, he forced his thoughts away from taking her in his arms and focused on dinner instead.

  “I cooked,” he said simply.

  Her eyes glinted in amusement. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

  “I’m not too good at fixing cars…or even changing tires, for that matter. You might need to go to a garage for that.”

  She linked her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth. “If that’s your only shortcoming, I think I can live with it.”

  He stared at her in surprise and his heart picked up its pace. It was the first time she’d mentioned their future since the conversation they’d had a fortnight ago when he’d spilled his guts about his family. Not wanting to read more into her simple comment than she might have intended, he chose his words with care.

  “I could get used to seeing you over the breakfast table every morning.” He watched her closely, waiting for the moment when his words sank in. It didn’t take long.

  Within seconds, her eyes widened and her expression turned serious. “Are you asking me to move in?”

  His gaze remained steady on hers. “Yes, I am. Would you like to?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer.

  For a long time, she said nothing and his heart nearly pounded out of his chest. Then she stepped back and looked around her and finally, back at him. “Your place is to die for and you’re not so bad, either. What’s not to like?”

  He eased his breath out and the slightest hint of hope trickled through his veins. “Is that a yes?”

  She blew out her breath and once again, the humor in her eyes faded. “It’s a maybe. I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl. I’ve always believed in marriage. Besides, we haven’t talked about the whole having-kids and staying-at-home thing, yet. I think we should sort that out. It’s an important issue and I don’t want to push it to one side because it’s too hard and then have to deal with it later, when both of us have so much more to lose.”

  She paused and reached for his hands and squeezed them. “I like you, Samuel. In fact, I’m pretty much already in love with you. You’re the kind of guy I always dreamed about, but we’re both well aware marriage isn’t for the faint of heart and it would be marriage or nothing, for me. I’m not willing to live with you and share your life, your ups and downs, your hopes and dreams, bear your children, wash your underwear and not have a ring on my finger. Does that scare you?”

  Elation spread through him and he grinned widely. “Not in the least. I’ve always intended to marry. If you ask me, this living together thing is a cop out. You either want to be with that person through the good and the bad for as long as you both shall live, or you don’t. That’s what marriage means to me. A lifelong commitment.”

  Coming up on her tiptoes, she pressed another kiss on his lips. “You’re the sweetest man a girl could hope for. Now, let’s talk about our future children and what they mean to my career.”

  Over mouthwatering lamb shanks, potato mash and mushy peas, they discussed the subject from all angles. By the time Samuel served the apple pie and ice cream, they’d come to an agreement. If they were lucky enough to have kids, they would welcome them with love. They would try for two, three at the most. Shelby would stay at home for the first year. After that, if she wanted to return to work part time, Samuel would fill in the gaps.

  “You never know,” Shelby said around a mouthful of pie, “I might be more than happy to stay at home, especially when the kids are young. My mother was always there when I arrived home from school. It was nice. We shared our day, ate cookies and milk, agonized over homework. I felt safe and secure and cared for. I was nearly ten before I realized not every kid had it so good.”

  Samuel thought of his own childhood and grimaced. “You have that right. My home life couldn’t have been more different, but the longer I think about it, the more I realize I might enjoy being a stay-at-home dad. It’s something I’ve never imagined, but I can see how worthwhile it would make me feel, being there for our kids, helping them out in a real and practical sense, not just being someone who earns the money and who walks out the door in the morning and walks back in again late at night. I want more than that.”

  Shelby got up and came around to his side of the table. Sitting on his lap, she draped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I think we’ve sorted out what could have been a major issue. See how easy it was?”

  His arms tightened around her. “It was only easy because of you. You’re so easy to talk to—calm and cool and collected. It’s refreshing. My parents used to deal with conflict by ignoring it. They’d walk around each other in stony silence for weeks. Finally, they’d have a mighty row. We all knew to stay out of the way until it was over. Quite often during those times I’d head out with my surfboard and escape into the waves. It was good therapy.”

  Shelby’s expression filled with sadness and Samuel’s heart clenched. This woman felt sympathy for his upbringing. She was sorry for the childhood he’d endured. Her tender heart only endeared her to him even more. He couldn’t wait for them to become husband and wife.

  Lifting his head, he captured her lips and kissed her with all the love and tenderness he felt way down inside. She returned his kiss, opening her mouth to deepen it. Her tongue stole inside and tangled with his and need burned through his veins.r />
  His hand drifted down and slid under the pink T-shirt she’d changed into right before dinner. The soft cotton fabric teased the back of his hand as he cupped her breast. She hadn’t bothered with a bra and her skin was warm and silky beneath his fingers. He found her nipple and tweaked it. The little nub puckered beneath his touch, filling him with satisfaction.

  He moved his hand to palm her hip and press her more fully into his lap. His cock was hard and pulsed with need. The feel of her ass against him was both heaven and hell. He wanted her. Running his hand up the side of her ribcage, he cupped her other breast. She made little breathy noises of desire.

  “Let’s go somewhere a little more comfortable,” he murmured against her lips. She nodded and slid off his lap.

  He bent to sweep her up in his arms and with a little gasp, she clung to him with her arms around his neck. He padded barefoot down the hallway and deposited her on his wide bed. He’d left the curtains open and for a moment, they took the time to gaze out at the night sky. Tiny stars that were miles away sparkled like diamonds in the dark. A full moon illuminated a silvery path across the waves. The dark shadows of ships blurred the horizon. The scene was one of mystery and magic all at once.

  “You really do have a great place,” Shelby murmured.

  “We have a great place,” he corrected.

  Joining her on the bed, he leaned across and kissed her. Slow and sensuous, he took his time tasting, teasing, discovering. He nibbled his way across her cheek and to her ear. Tracing the outline of the delicate whorls, he was pleased when she moaned and shivered. Moving lower, he nuzzled her neck and all the time, his hand squeezed and massaged her breast. She moved restlessly against him.

  “Samuel, I—”

  “Shh,” he interrupted, kissing her once again. “There’s no rush. Just so you know, I’m going to take all the time I want.”