Breaking Through the Waves (13 page)

16

The next day
, Sydney and Coen took them sightseeing around the island, showing them the different beaches and attractions. Sydney wore a hat so no one would recognize her. She wasn’t just embarrassed of her family—she was ashamed.

Johnny stared at her whenever his father wasn’t looking, giving her a look of lust and hate mixed together. When Coen caught the look, he would make his own venom very clear. Sydney waited for Coen to strangle him but he never did.

Sydney didn’t even want to go with them but she had to drive. The idea of letting Dan drive her father’s Jeep was just unacceptable. And she wouldn’t let Coen offer his car instead. Even though he wanted to take care of her, this wasn’t his problem. She wouldn’t let him sacrifice everything.

They spent t
he afternoon trying to get along, listening to Dan chatter about various topics like he was actually knowledgeable about anything besides beer and porn. Her mother hardly spoke, seeming indifferent and completely dull. When she was with Sydney’s father, she never shut up. She talked happily as often as she would yell at her father. That relationship wasn’t healthy either but at least she had a personality. Sydney wondered if her mother was just as afraid of Dan as she was. Perhaps she was too scared to admit it.

They took them on the drive to
Kailua, a tourist location with famous waterfalls and fruit stands that ran on the honor system. Her family had no respect for nature. They littered at every stop, throwing their empty soda cans on the side of the road and their trash on the grass. Sydney picked it up and threw it in the garbage. Littering was something that got under her skin. She hated it when people didn’t respect the land. Instead of arguing with them about it, she just bent over and took care of it herself. Coen watched her with a saddened expression.

He never left her si
de. If she had to use the bathroom, he stood outside the door like a watchdog. Whenever she went into the kitchen, he followed her like a stalker. There was never a time when she was alone. After having a knife held to her throat, she appreciated the protection. She tried to hide her fear but she was still shaken up about it.

S
he made dinner that night, which no one seemed to be impressed by, then cleaned up the kitchen. As always, Coen thanked her for cooking. They retired on the couch and watched television. Coen’s hand was on her thigh but he wasn’t watching the screen, his gaze constantly rotating to her three family members.

“Tattoos are a sin,” Dan
said, eyeing the ink on his forearm. “Disgusting.”

Coen said nothing.

“How can you date this trash?” he said to Sydney.

“I ask
Mom that all the time.”

“What did you say?”

“You heard me.” She stood up, Coen following her immediately.

The spit flew from
Dan’s mouth when he spoke. “I’m tired of putting up with this disrespect. It’s bullshit! Bullshit!” He slammed his arm down then pointed his finger at her face. “We came all the way here to see you on Thanksgiving and this is how you treat us, you little bitch.”

“Don’t pull that shit with me,” she snapped. “You only came here for a free vacation. You got it so it’s time to leave. Get the fuck out.”

“You are about to get slapped,” he threatened.

“Fuck you, you white trash piece of shit. You talk about my fiancé like that again and I’ll punch you square in the mouth.”

He shook his head, his cheeks turning red.

“Do it, asshole! Hit me! What’s steadied you
r hand? Is it because I have a real man here that could beat you senseless with one arm, you fucking pussy?”

He became even angrier. Coen stood by her side, his arms tense. He waited for the right moment.

“Stop!”

They all turned to see her mom standing there, arms raised.

“Stop fighting,” she continued. “This has gone on long enough.”

Sydney was so s
hocked, her mouth dropped.

Dan
turned, his ferocity directed at her. “Shut your mouth!”

“Please stop yelling at my daughter.”

Suddenly, Dan marched away from her and reached his bag. Sydney wasn’t sure what he was doing. It looked like he was leaving. She hoped he was.

“Don’t go,” her mother begged. “I’m sorry.”

When Dan stood up, he was holding a bat in his hands. Sydney felt her heart fall. Her stepfather raised the bat then aimed it for her mother’s head. She was so shocked, she couldn’t react. Her mouth was open but there were no words. He swung it at her mother but it never reached its mark.

Coen stepped in, getting in front of her mother just in time. The bat broke in half as it smashed into his chest, pieces of it flying through the air. He fel
l to the ground, his eyes closed and his hand over his chest. Her mother looked down at him, her hands covering her mouth.

Dan
raised his boot to kick him.

Sydney charged him then pushed him away, sending him against the wall. Every move Coen taught her came back to her. She punched him in the nose then the chin and threw him on the ground. When Johnny came to his aid, she kicked him in the nuts, sending him to the ground.

“Don’t you touch my fiancé like that!” She punched Dan in the face again.

He scrambled to
his feet then wiped the blood away. “I don’t need this!” He grabbed his bag then looked at Johnny. “Let’s go.”

Johnny finally rose to his feet, still cupping his balls,
then grabbed his belongings. He stumbled behind his father as they headed to the front door.

Sydney rushed to Coen then lifted up his shirt, seeing
a bruise form on his chest. The purple color told her how painful it was. Luckily, his sternum wasn’t broken and his ribs seemed to be intact. His muscled chest took most of the pain. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at him. “Babe, are you okay?”

He nodded, his eyes still closed. “I’m fine. Just get rid of them.”

“Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“No,” he said through clenched teeth, fighting the pain. “I’ll be fine. Get rid of them.”

Dan came back into the room. He looked at her mother. “Come on!” His hands clenched at his sides, staring her down. Her green eyes lost their light as she looked at him. There was fear deep in their abyss. “I said come on.”

Sydney looked at her mother. “Stay here,
Mom. You don’t have to go.”

She said nothing.

“We’ll go to the police and tell them everything that happened. They’ll go to jail and we’ll never have to see them again.”

She still stared at Dan
.

Sydney reached for her hand, tears streaming down her face. “Mom, please. Don’t go to him. I can help you.”

“GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!”

Her mom pulled her hand away.

“No!” Sydney yelled. “Don’t do this! He’s just going to keep hurting you. I can get you out.”

Her mom averted her gaze then grabbed her belongings, walking over to him. When she reached him, he slapped her across the face. “Good girl.”

Sydney jumped to her feet, dashing toward him with the intent of murder.

Her mom stepped in front of her, one hand covering her swollen cheek. She said nothing as she stared at Sydney, tears glistening in her eyes. Without saying another word, sh
e turned around and followed Dan like an obedient dog, catching a cab back to the airport.

Sydney was glued to the floor, unable to m
ove. Her mother went back to Dan—voluntarily. She had a way out but she didn’t want it. She wanted to stay with him. The tears kept pouring down as Sydney replayed all the events in her head. When she remembered Coen, lying on the floorboard, she went back to him with a pillow in hand. She tucked it under his head.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she kissed his cheeks. “I’m
so sorry about this.”

“Baby, calm down.”

“We need to take you to the hospital.”

“It’s just a bruise.”

“You could have internal bleeding.”

“I don’t.”

“Are you a doctor?”

He placed her hand over his chest, stayi
ng away from the bruise. “Breathe with me.”

She swallowed her tears and did as he asked, following the relaxed pace of his expanding lungs. Within a minute, she felt calm.

Coen sat up with a groan then looked at her, checking her arms and neck. “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

“They are gone. You never have to see them again.”

Her lips trembled, the emotion taking over. “She wanted to go.”

His eyes sagged in despair. “I know.”

“Why?”

He said nothing for a long time. “Not everyone is as strong as you.”

“He’ll kill her.”

He sighed. “There’s nothing you can do for her. You gave her a way out but she didn’t take it. You can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.”

She cried. “
Should I tell the police?”

“I hate to say this, but it might get her in deeper. When they don’t have enough evid
ence to bring a case against Dan, he’ll probably hurt her even more.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Nothing, Syd. You already did everything you could.”

“I can’t believe you took that hit for her. You didn’t have to do that.”

He ran his fingers through her hair. “She’s a lady and she’s still your mother. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

She wiped her tears away. “I’m so sorry.”

“I would do it again in a heartbeat—anything to spare you pain.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“That’s completely untrue.”

She collapsed in his arms, cryin
g to herself. “I’m so glad I have you.”

He kissed her forehead. “And I’m happy I have you.”

She closed her eyes and said nothing. All the drama that happened the past few days left her heart feeling black and frozen. She was glad she never told anyone about her family or where she came from. It was disturbing and embarrassing. Coen was the only person who really knew her like no one else. She also knew he was the first person to truly love her. He was such an amazing man and she didn’t know what she had done to deserve him. She counted her blessings. Not only was she alive, but her past was finally behind her. She had her new family now.

17

“Baby, I’m fine.”

She grabbed his shoulders and kept him pinned to the bed. “Just rest, okay?” The tears sprang from her eyes every time she looked at the huge mark covering his chest. It was a deeper shade of black and blue when they woke up the next morning.

“I’m fine—really,” he said as he looked at her.

“I’m so sorry,” she said for the hundredth time as tears ran down her face. She kissed his chest lightly. “I’m so sorry.” The ugly bruise was entirely her fault. It killed her to see him in so much pain. It was unacceptable. “I’ll get you some lunch. Please just stay there.”

He grabbed her arm and steadied it. “I’m going to be okay.”

She shook her head. “No, you won’t.”

He looked into her face. “I’m not a liar,
Syd. It doesn’t hurt.”

“Yes, it does.”

He sighed. “It doesn’t hurt as much as it did yesterday. I don’t need to stay in bed. I don’t have the flu.”

“You still need to rest.”

“We rested all last night and this morning. I’m okay now.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. This is just so hard to see.”

He was quiet for a moment before he rose from the bed then grabbed a shirt from his drawer. He put it on so the horrific bruise wouldn’t be visible anymore. He returned to the bed and sat down. She pulled back the covers and waited for him to get in.

He shook his head. “I don’t need to l
ie down.”

“Please, Coen.”

The desperation in her eyes made him climb on the bed and move under the covers. “It’s just a bruise. It will heal and disappear like all the others.”

“The bat
broke in half when it hit you.”

“What can I say? I’m like a concrete wall,” he said with a smile.

She didn’t laugh or hide the frown on her face.

“Please stop worrying,” he said with a sigh. “If anything, this is hurting me.”

“You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

He looked at her, straight in the eye. “I would have taken a lot worse if I had to. This is nothing,
Syd.”

She
shook her head. “You shouldn’t have to.”

He grabbed her hand. “It’s over—they’re
gone. Let’s just move on. Stop beating yourself up for what happened to me.”

She placed h
er fingers over his chest and glided them across the shirt, trying to make him relax. He leaned back on the pillow and ran his fingers through her hair, trying to dispel the tears on her face. She seemed to calm down after he covered himself with a shirt. The sight was too much for her.

He sat up to move out of bed but she pushed him back by the arms. “No.”

He glared at her. “I’m not staying on bed rest forever.” He sat up again but she pushed him back.

She pulled down the blankets then kneeled between his legs. As soon as he realized what she was doing, he stopped.

She grabbed the rim of his boxers and pulled them off, revealing his limp cock. After she tossed his underwear on the ground, it sprang to life, knowing exactly what was going to happen. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her. He wasn’t trying to get out of bed anymore. Sydney grabbed her shirt and pulled it from her body then unclasped her bra. Coen’s breathing only increased as he watched her.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said weakly. His voice was so quiet she almost didn’t hear him.

She bent down and licked the tip, making him gasp so loud it was almost a scream. She pulled away and looked into his face. “You want me to stop?”

He stared at her for a while before he finally shook his head,
embarrassment flooding his cheeks.

Sydney leaned back over him. Before her lips pressed against him, he tensed up, anticipating the wetness of her mouth. She felt guilty because they hadn’t fooled around in days. The sexual frustration
oozed out of him. He never said anything but she knew he was horny as hell.

When her lips surrounded him, he gasped again, breathing like he just ran a marathon. His hand immediately fisted her hair and his hips started to rock into her gently. His cock felt harder than it ever had as she swirled her tongue around the tip then down the shaft. Every time she took him entirely down her throat, he shook. Her hair
was sprawled across his stomach and hips, and he fisted it gently. She knew he loved her hair, the color and the texture. People thought she styled it to have that beach wave to it, but she never did anything. It was natural.

When his hips started to convulse, she knew she was on the verge of having an orgasm. They had just begun and he already met his threshold. That didn’t su
rprise her since their sex life had been dormant for so long. She pulled him out of her mouth then rubbed her chest against him, pressing her tits together.

Coen bit his lip while he watched her. His free hand clenched the bed sheets, trying to process all the pleasure circulating in his veins.

She returned her lips to him and shoved him to the back of her throat, knowing he was going to come any second. His breathing was deep and raspy, forced from his lips against his restraint. He laid his head back and closed his eyes. When his dick twitched, she knew the moment had arrived. He moaned loudly, gently thrusting himself inside of her as he shot out with a rapid explosion. She continued to go down on him as he released, waiting until he was completely finished before she pulled away.

He ran his hands through his hair and kept his eyes closed, his chest still rising and falling rapidly. He was a broken mess, pieces shattered across the bed. His explosion had sucked the life
force out of him. Now he just tried to come down from his high. She crawled off of him then pulled the blankets back up, tucking him in.

“Bed rest,” she said firmly.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. “That felt so good.”

“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice.”

He smiled at her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t last longer.”

She kissed him on the forehead. “It’s okay. I know I haven’t been satisfying you lately.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said quickly.

“I’ll make it up to you.” She glanced at his chest then back at him.

“You don’t owe me anything, baby.”

She ran her fingers through his hair. “Get some sleep.”

“That’s all I’ve been doing.”

“Get more of it.”

“Let’s take a shower. There’s something I want to show you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“You’ll see.”

“Well, it will have to wait. You need to rest.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.”

“If you want another blow job, you are staying right here.”

He growled. “Well, I’ll have to miss out then. Come on. Let’s take a shower.”

“I want you to get better,” she said as she touched his hand.

“Baby, I am better. Now let’s go.”

She sighed. “Okay.”

“And I still expect that blow job.”

She rubbed h
er nose against his. “I’ll give you as many as you want.”

“Can I get that in writing?”

She laughed. “My word isn’t good enough?”

“You’re a woman—of course not.”

“Well, you’ll just have to trust me.”

“I will.” He pulled the blankets back then rose to his feet. “Let’s take a shower.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

They both showered and got ready. Coen pulled out an outfit and told her to wear it. Normally she wore shorts and a small top, but he wanted her to wear jeans and a nice blouse. She assumed they were going to a nice dinner. She did as he asked and put it on. Coen wore black slacks and a collared shirt. He looked handsome like he always did. He wrapped a tie around his neck then fixed it.

“You look so sexy,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Thank you,” he said as he rubbed his nose against hers. “But I don’t compete with you.” He kissed her on the forehead then walked to the front door. “Let’s go.”

She followed him out the door then into the
car. He started the engine and they pulled onto the dirt road. They didn’t head to the coast where all the shopping and restaurants were. Instead, he drove further into the island, away from the tourist spots. She wasn’t sure where they were going. When he pulled onto a street in a nice neighborhood, two story houses with large yards, she was even more confused.

“Where are we going?”

He pulled over and parked in front of a large white house. There were two wreaths on the door and Christmas lights decorated the outside. A large tree stood in the front yard, stretching high into the sky. It was on a slight rise and the mountains could be seen in the background.

“What is this?” she asked.

“My parents’ house.”

She looked at him. “W
hy are we here?”

“To celebrate Thanksgiving.”

“But that was days ago.”

“Yeah, my parents decided to have it today instead.”

“Why?”

“So you could join us.”

She felt her heart flutter. “What? You asked them to do that?”

He smiled. “No. They offered. They want you to be here.”

“Did you tell them about…”

“Yes. But I left
the major things out. They want you to spend the holiday with us, Syd. They are excited to meet you.”

She looked out the window
and stared at the house. She saw people inside, drinking from their wine glasses as they stood around the tree. Tears formed under her eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Let’s just go inside.”

“I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“My family already loves you,
Syd. I didn’t do this—they did.”

“Why?”

“They know I’m madly in love with you.”

“They still want me he
re even after you told them about my family?”

He ran his fingers through her hair. “They love you even more, baby.”

A tear fell from her eye and she wiped it away. “That’s so sweet of them.”

“Now let’s go get our grub on,” he said as he opened the door. He helped her down the
n walked her to the front door, holding her hand.

“Wait.” She grabbed the engagement ring to take it off.

“No,” he said, steadying her hand. “Leave it.”

“But they’ll see it.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just leave it.”

She left the ring on her finger, unsure how this was going to work. If his family saw her wear his grandmother’s ring, wouldn’t they ask questions or assume they were really engaged?
“I hope they like me,” she blurted.

“They will. It’s impossible not to.”
He walked to the door then knocked on it. The sound of merry voices could be heard from the outside. A high-pitched laughter was infectious enough to make Sydney smile. She tried to recall a time when her mother laughed after she remarried. She couldn’t think of a single instance.

A tall brunette opened the door, smiling at them brightly. H
er hair was short, not even reaching her ears, but she looked elegant and beautiful. Her eyes were blue just like Coen’s. There was no doubt that this was his mother. The woman glanced at Coen but her eyes were focused on Sydney.

“Sydney!” she said in delight. She walked through the door and wrapped her arms around
Sydney, holding her tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for coming.”

Sydney returned her embrace, warmth radiating from her body. “Thank you
for having me.”

She pulled away. “And you’re so beautiful. Coen never lies.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

“Come, come,” she said as she grabbed her hand and led her inside.

When they walked through the door, other family members rose from their seats and approached them. A middle aged man smiled at Sydney then hugged her as well. Judging by his chiseled jaw and height, he was Coen’s father.

“I’m Nathan,” he said as he pulled away. “I’m very delighted to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said politely.

“And I’m Vivian,” his mother said quickly. “Sorry. I forgot to mention that.”

“It’s okay,” Sydney said with a smile.

“And I’m Coen’s younger, but much more attractive brother,”
a guy said as he hugged her. She was startled by the touch. Every person hugged her. No one shook her hand. The affection was welcome, but unexpected. “So, let me know if you want to upgrade.”

She laughed. “I’m very happy with what I have.”

Coen wrapped his arm around her waist. “Sorry, bro. She doesn’t have a sister.”

“Damn,” he said.

“His name is Jordan,” Coen added. He turned to an older couple. She assumed they were his grandparents. “This is my maternal grandmother, Lori, and my grandfather, Jeremy.” They both hugged her, making Sydney feel cherished.