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Thunder had only seen me naked once, but over the years, I felt he’d seen deeper many times. His hand under the spray behind the curtain, I watched water drip from fingers I trusted.
Before I knew it, I was clutching that hand and pulling it to my cheek so I could once again feel grounded. “Thunder, I don’t want to lose my way.”
Would Jesus frown upon me?
The curtain blocking his view, his fingers found me, loved me. “My girl.”
His touch was so … comforting. “Please hold me.”
The shower curtain was pushed open, revealing the horrible shape I was in. With tears in my swollen eyes, my tired shoulders slumped, lacking the energy to stand proudly.
Pain filling his gorgeous face, he murmured, “Aw, baby,” while running fingers through his longer blond hair in a stressed way.
Instead of judging me for falling apart, a towel was quickly wrapped around me. The water was turned off, then I was lifted from the tub to rest in the safest arms I’d ever known or ever would.
Curled to his clothed chest, there was no longer a leather cut between us. Thunder refused to ever carry Onus’s Hell Titans title or patch again.
Treasuring me, his gentle hand cupping the back of my head, he vowed, “I will not only hold you now but for the rest of your life, Ry.”
My eyes slid shut as his love rippled through me, pushing my fears far away. “And after,” I sighed, my grasp holding tight to his shirt. “Hold me even afte’ I die, Thunder.” I forever wanted the peace he gave me in my soul and the love that filled my heart.
“Sh.” He rocked me. “Don’t talk about me ever losing you. I can’t handle such a thought.”
Exhaling more relief from his devoted embrace, I agreed, “I understand.” Thunder was warmer than the hot water that had steamed up the bathroom. I kept breathing in the serenity he gave me. “You make his whistles stop.”
Thunder stilled. “Whose whistles?”
Water dripping down my back from my wet hair, I peered up and quietly admitted, “Daddy’s.”
His eyes widened for a second, then his head tilted. “You mean memories?”
Feeling Thunder’s energy shifting into a different kind of intensity, I slowly shook my head.
Instead of being afraid of a phenomenon that would make most tremble, his nostrils flared before he growled, “You mean … he’s been whistling … since I…”
I knew the rules. In fear of the wrong people hearing, Thunder couldn’t speak out loud what he had done, so I nodded.
His jaw flexed. His eyes … seemed to take on a distinct life of their own. Blue eyes that always reminded me of the sky now had a firestorm erupting. Unlike the god he always resembled to me, my Thunder now appeared to be part vengeful demon.
“Thunder?”
He jolted then closed his eyes, pulling me closer to him. “While alive,” he closely leaned his head over mine, “when did … your dad … whistle, baby?”
The way Thunder struggled to ask, I knew he was already tortured by the answer I had yet to give him. That’s why I whispered the words that I knew were going to hurt him more. “After he and I… When he was done.”
I shivered as I remembered Daddy leaving me naked in my bed. There were too many times to remember them all, but Daddy always whistled his joy when walking away.
Arms tightened around me. “Rya, I’m so sorry that man thought you were his for the taking. And I’m so sorry he still thinks so. I will find a way to make it stop.”
“Do you think he’s here?”
I watched goose bumps break out on Thunder’s bicep, across from my snuggled face. “I do.”
From behind Thunder, I heard a cough. “Sorry.” I peered up to see it was Chubs. “We’ve got trouble rolling down the driveway.”
I gasped in instant worry. “To take Sable?”
“No,” assured Chubs, his eyes momentarily softening with kindness before he groaned. “The FBI kind of trouble.” Not sticking around for more, his heavy boots pounded down the stairs to the first floor.
