AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I slapped his arm playfully. “Jealous?”
“Naw. I just like to give him hell when his head gets too big.”
I laughed. “I guess you like most of your newfound family?”
“Most of the time.” He swallowed the rest of his drink and set the empty glass on a nearby table. “I guess I better get moving.”
I slurped down the last of my own drink and set the glass next to his as he took my hand. I followed him as he tugged me through the crowd and outside.
I immediately noticed that the stage that had been set up last night was totally lit.
The dance floor might be sand, but the stage looked like it was hosting somebody pretty important.
“Wait for me?” Aiden asked. “I want to dance with you as soon as I’m done.”
I stopped near the stage. People were already crowded around it. “I’ll be here,” I told him breathlessly.
I watched as Jade and Eli stepped up to the mic.
The two of them did the usual thanking of everyone for sharing their special day.
My mind wandered as I looked around the stage for Maya, and then found her sitting on her uncle Noah’s shoulders.
It was the first time I’d seen the ever-serious Noah smile.
Seth was standing next to his older brother, talking to Maya, and I could see that she was having a good time with both of her uncles.
I was glad that Seth and Aiden were back on speaking terms and were working out exactly how the ownership of the businesses would go. I’d felt bad that I’d driven any kind of wedge between them.
But I knew that Aiden was happier since he’d started planning out how he was going to execute the plans for Sinclair Seafood.
I put my attention back on the stage as I heard the beautiful chords of the piano start, and I noticed Eli and Jade leaving the microphone to take the dance floor.
I was captured by the piano intro, but I was completely mesmerized when Aiden started to sing the emotional song, every note pronounced and stunningly poignant.
Aiden put himself into performing the music, portraying everything that the song was meant to say.
He kept tabs on me by looking at me frequently, and it nearly made me break down into tears.
That’s how good he was.
He glanced at me and winked, and my heart almost flew out of my chest because it was beating so fast.
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump!
I could hear the rapid rhythm pounding in my ears like it was measured to the beat of the song Aiden was belting out.
It was surprising when the tune started to crescendo, and another male voice sang along in harmony near the end of the song.
Xander.
He wasn’t in the spotlight, but was sitting on a stool in the dark on the other side of the stage.
Shivers ran down my spine as I absorbed the words of the song and the emotion that was threaded through the notes.
And then there was silence, and a burst of enthusiastic applause that I joined once I got over my shock.
It was clear where my daughter had gotten her musical talent.
And it sure as hell hadn’t come from me.
CHAPTER 15
AIDEN
I hopped down from the stage, not caring if it was going to kill me to dance with Skye.
I’m doing it anyway.
I wanted her.
I needed to have her soft, silken body plastered against mine.
Since my dick was constantly hard when she was within sight, what the hell did it matter if I was actually touching her or not?
Maybe I was a masochist, but I knew I couldn’t resist the chance to have her that close to me.
“Dance with me,” I said, forgetting that I was supposed to be requesting things from her.
I wasn’t giving her a chance to say no this time.
I needed to feel her in my arms. I needed to know she was safe. That no bastard was ever going to touch her again—except me. Maybe I was a dick sometimes, but I sure as hell would never hurt her intentionally. And just the thought that someone had tortured her for years nearly made me come unglued.
She reached for my hand, but I took her arms and wound them around my neck, and then pulled her whole body to me by locking my hands behind her waist.
Luckily, Xander had started one of his moody ballads that made our position work perfectly so we swayed to the music, our bodies perfectly in tune.
“You were amazing,” she said, sounding slightly breathless. “And you were wrong. You don’t rival John Legend. You’re just as good, with your own style.”
I put my mouth against her hair. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m an amateur, and I’ve never wanted to play or sing for anybody but family. It’s just a hobby.”
“Are you saying you never had dreams of fame, even when you were younger?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you, sweetheart.”
“Too macho for music?” she teased.
“Nope. I just don’t like performing in front of a crowd. I give guys like Xander credit for their balls. They’re willing to put themselves out there. But it’s not fame that drives my interest. I just . . . like doing it.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” she answered with a sigh. “I like to do needlepoint, but I’ve never wanted to sell my work. So I get it.”
“Some things we just do for fun.”
“But . . . well . . . you’re pretty good at your fun stuff,” she said softly.
“I’ll play for you and Maya anytime you want,” I offered.
A light bulb appeared to go on in her head. “You could actually teach Maya.”
I shook my head. “No. She needs to learn the right way. After I got the basics from a few volunteer teachers, I was self-taught. I do a lot of things by ear. She’s better off with a real music teacher.”
“Ah, well, she likes her new teacher, anyway,” she answered. “It’s good for her. I never really had the money to let her do many extra things. And when I was married to Marco, I was afraid to ask for anything.”
Fuck! I hated the fact that Skye had ever been so damn scared that she couldn’t ask for something for our daughter. And probably nothing for herself, either.
This beautiful woman had lived in a prison without physical bars, but a situation that was, in reality, a hell of a lot worse than being in a real detention center.
I closed my eyes and breathed in Skye’s tempting, flowery scent, an aroma that was so uniquely hers, and so damn alluring that my cock was at full attention and begging me to get her naked.
And I hated my damn treacherous dick. It wasn’t that all of me didn’t want that, too. But not now. Not until she was comfortable.
It was obvious to me that Skye was used to any kind of touch being ugly, savage, and cruel.
I wanted to teach her pleasure again. But I couldn’t do that until she completely trusted me.
And I wasn’t about to let my cock do my thinking.
“I wish you had never stayed with that bastard,” I said before I could monitor my words. “I mean, I get why you did. You were worried about Maya’s safety, and your own. But fuck, Skye. You didn’t deserve what happened to you.”
My vision clouded with rage just thinking about some man touching her with anything except devotion, love, or passion.
Hell, if I wanted to be honest, I couldn’t stand the thought of another guy touching her at all.
