Finding His Sun

Chapter Fifteen

When Erin was eight years old, she remembered running down a hill of snow with her father. She remembered laughing uncontrollably as he took her into his embrace as they rolled further through the snow. 

When they were done outside, her father led her back to their house where her mother had hot chocolate waiting for them. Erin felt like she could feel the warmth and smell the hot chocolate like it was right there in her grasp. She tried to remember when it all slipped away, or when her father became more distant, but it was all a blur. She felt an ache of depression fill her bones for memories that were too far gone. Memories that would only haunt her instead of comforting her. 

“I don’t understand where Erin’s father fits into this, much less Erin?” Adam said with a hint of annoyance at the whole situation. 

Erin sat by the massive window seal in Mr. Graves' study, a cup of hot tea in her hand. She had changed into her favorite comfy pants and a big sweatshirt as the night chill had set in. The study was quite large, with every wall ladened with dark oak wood and one wall with a floor to ceiling bookshelf. Erin looked around at a few of the animal mounts, deer mostly, hanging as decor and wondering how long they had been there, how far back did this ranch go? Adam, Lance, James, Neal and Ben were all in the study with her trying to grasp what Lance had just explained. Erin didn’t know if she quite understood either, but she sat there quietly looking out the window at the stars, trying to gather her thoughts. 

Adam was pacing back and forth like some caged animal needing to be set free. Why was he reacting like this? How could one girl send him into a state of rage and worry in one silent move. He shook his head and looked at Lance. 

“So, you’re telling me Erin’s father was to be named the CEO of Douglas Construction and Holding company, but Benjamin Mallard killed him before he took the office?” Adam asked once again, not able to understand. “And Benjamin did this because Erin’s father was actually helping the IRS and the FBI take him and his law firm down,” he chuckled, “BUT we do not know why those agencies were interested in the Mallards to begin with. You understand you sound crazy, right?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but I got some buddies at both agencies and that’s all the information I could get out of them. Erin’s father was not the one on the run, Benjamin was. Whatever he was working on had law enforcement breathing down his neck”. Lance said with slight uncertainty in his voice. 

Adam looked over at Erin, she was still just looking out the window at the never-ending stars. He walked over to her and took her hand, just wanting to be close to comfort her. When he took her hand, she smiled at him, to his surprise. He realized that out of the two of them he was the only one who was still in disarray about this situation. A wave of guilt engulfed him as he thought about all the sadness Erin had gone through, and this was just another day in her always changing life. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for the confusion she was holding onto right now. 

Erin took in Adam’s presence, and let it bring her back to the issue at hand. She knew all the men were looking at her for answers, but what was she supposed to say? She had no idea about any of this. After her father died, she repressed any memories of that time and never wanted to revisit them, it was too hard. She especially didn’t know the Mallards had any factor in the death of her father; the thought brought a whole new level of fear to her body. Adam slightly squeezed her hand, she squeezed back. 

“I never knew anything about my father’s business and knew even less about his death. My mother never mentioned it before she left, I’m not sure if she even knew” Erin looked at the men who gazed at her with solemn stares, “and even if this is all true, why should it affect me now that my father is dead?” she looked at Adam worriedly. 

“I’m not sure yet. I still have a lot of unanswered questions, but it’s Benjamin and Mason who worry me. Why would he let his son date the daughter of the man he tried to get rid of? And I noticed something fishy about their relationship with the officer and court clerk last night” Lance explained to the men in the room. 

Erin had noticed too, “Is that how they got my bail set so high?” 

Lance nodded, “5000 dollars for a bogus domestic violence charge, that would normally be set at a thousand or so, Mallard has more pull than I thought he did”. 

Adam’s father sighs while running his fingers through his hair. His age was really showing now, although he didn’t let his confident aura falter. He looked at Neal and Ben, “I don’t want to go down the path we went down last time,” now narrowing his glaze on Neal who was visibly nervous, “keep tabs on both those men, and call a few more out to watch the perimeter. I don’t know what that bastard has in store, but if he wants to play dirty, I guess we will too”. 

Erin was taken from her confusion about her father, to confusion about these men she was surrounded by. She remembered vaguely Mr. Graves telling Benjamin things that caught her attention. Something about teaching him better than to disrespect him, or he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty? What did he mean, she wondered while staring at James giving his men orders like they were soldiers. They obeyed him with a loyalty Erin wanted to comprehend, but something caught her mind that scared her. Who all here had dirt on their hands, and why? She looked at Adam and couldn’t see him ever hurting her, he looked at her with care that was hard to put into words. But last night, he had a look that could kill. She shook her head trying to dismiss the panic that tried to consume her and focus on the men’s conversation that had persisted while she was engrossed in her own thoughts. 

After James was done talking to the men, they said their goodbyes and tipped their hats to Erin as they left. She didn’t think she would ever get used to that genuine chivalry. Only her, Adam and his father were left looking at each other, all clearly exhausted from today’s events. 

“Why don’t you two go get some sleep and we can discuss more in the morning,” James said, more commanding than suggesting. 

Adam took Erin’s hand as they headed upstairs. Adam felt exhausted, but as Erin’s hand was in his he also felt exhilarated. Just being in the same room as Erin had him clawing with passion and desire. Every move she made excited and allured him. He felt like no matter how often he looked at her, she would always bewitch him with her never ending beauty. They slowly made it to the top of the stairs where Adam used all of his will to stop at the door, waiting for her command. He didn’t want to stop, he wanted to sweep her up in his arms and barge through the door and never let go, but he knew she needed to take the lead. The marks on her face that were still so prominent reminded him of the position he was in. He wanted to love her, but not until she would let him. 

Erin opened the door and looked back at Adam standing there with a look she couldn’t quite read. Why wasn’t he coming in? Was he still angry from everything that had happened? She started to feel like she was being rejected when she caught him staring at her bruises under her pulled up sleeve. She automatically pulled her sleeve down so they would be out of his site. She just started to feel like he could love her despite the markings of defeat, but she might have been wrong. Maybe it was too much for him, maybe she was too much for him. 

The two just stood there in the stillness of the night, neither one wanting to speak, but never wanting to part. Erin wanted Adam to protect her, but she didn’t even know him. It had been barely three days since he found her on the ground in her most exposed self. She couldn’t be falling in love before she knew what she was falling for, but she wanted to give Adam all of herself. She wanted him to touch her skin and fill in the missing pieces. She wanted to feel his body immerse hers and take her away from the suffering she was trying too hard to run away from. 

She sauntered towards him involuntarily, letting her body lead the way. She glanced up at his golden eyes that had a look of shock until a ripple of relief hit them. She grabbed his hands and pulled him closer so she could be buried in his scent. 

Adam’s heart was beating through his chest while she pushed herself closer to his body. He tried to breathe through his shaky lungs and be a place of comfort for her, but he was wavering. His never was slowly being torn as she opened every emotion in him with ease. His walls were crumbling. He moved his hands from hers and secured her hips into him and pulled her face into his as their lips collided. Just like before it was electrifying. He leaned back to take a look into her ocean eyes, and he didn’t find a trace of fear. His heart wanted to erupt with desire. 

Erin thought her knees were going to give out when Adam urged his lips to hers. A burning sensation started at her toes and exploded in her chest. She thought she would be nervous for him to forcefully kiss her like he was, but she was instead... thrilled. She didn’t know what he was doing to her, but she wanted more. She almost let out a whimper when Adam pulled back from her lips to look her in the eyes. She stared at him hoping he would see she was willing to give him herself entirely. That crooked smile slid onto his face while she wrapped her hands around his neck and ran her fingers through his dark hair. 

Adam shifted Erin’s light weight onto his body and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as their lips melted into one another. He used his foot to shut the door behind him as he knew he didn’t want to let go of her body. Slowly he made it to the bed where he gently laid her down and put both of his arms on either side of her, entrapping her into him. Both out of breath they looked at each other in amazement at the feeling between them. Erin smiled at him with lust and need, and he wanted to give her everything she ever wanted. 

Erin watched as Adam loomed over her, heat radiating off of his body, she looked at him and gave him an urging smile. She wanted all of him, she wanted him closer to her, she wanted her skin to be set ablaze by his desire and never put it out. Naturally, he started kissing her neck, going all the way up to her jaw, and back down her collar bone. A low moan exited her mouth unable to control the feelings she had for him. He couldn’t help but fall deeper into her when he felt her need.He grazed his hands over her body, just wanting to fee; her skin on his hands. One after the other they took away the cloth barrier that kept them apart. They embraced in another kiss, the passion increasing with what seemed like a never-ending sensation of desire, until the two were bound as one.