Todd Manning: Enigma, Ch. 21

Chapter 21

Gregor was in the middle of his lunch when the phone rang. “Hello...How did it go?... Excellent.....He was there?.... No, get out of town before they find you. Your money was wired this morning.” He chuckled, everything was going as planned. He picked up his phone. It was time to make his next move before Manning had a chance to recover from the last one. Uchin had managed to locate Kym.

...

Kym and Lily were in the middle of pie-making when the phone rang. “Chase, get that, Lily and I have flour all over our hands.”

“Stevens Orchard, what can we do for you?” answered Chase in his best business voice.

“Excuse me, I’m trying to reach a Kym Daimler. I was told she was there. Is she?”

“Yeah, she’s here, she’s baking a pie with my sister. Do you want to talk to her?”

“If I could, I would really appreciate it.” Gregor couldn’t believe his luck, he had reached a child in the household. They tended to be very trusting. Hopefully, Kym wouldn’t think twice about taking the call.

Chase walked into the kitchen, “Hey Kym, the phone call is for you.”

“Did you get a name, Chase?”

“Naw, he just said he was trying to reach you.”

“Well tell him just a minute, and see if you can get a name. I’ve got to wash my hands.”

“Okay,” Chase went back to the phone. ”Hey mister, Kym said she’d be here in a minute, but she wanted to know your name.”

“That’s quite alright young man, it sounds like she’s busy. Perhaps I’ll try to reach her another time.” Gregor decided to get out of the call. Kym was obviously wary of strange phone calls and now wasn’t the time to get careless, there were other ways to contact her.

“Hey wait, mister, here she comes. Kym, he says he’ll call back if you’re busy.”

“Give me the phone, Chase. I’ll talk to him. Thank you.” Kym took the phone.

“Hello, this is Kym.”

“Dear Kym, it is so good to talk to you. Have you been enjoying your holiday?”

She almost dropped the phone. She hadn’t heard his voice for several months. “Father?”

"I’m so pleased you remember me. I must say I’m deeply disappointed in your actions of late. After all, I’ve done for you, it wounds me that you haven’t come home. I was injured and you were nowhere to be found.”

“Father, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you had been hurt,” she answered concerned. His voice was a trigger that reduced her to the child always willing to please.

Her response thrilled Gregor and he knew he was pulling her back in. Yes, Kym, you know your place and it’s with me. “That’s quite all right, you had no idea the violence your friend was capable of. He wanted to kill me.”

Kym was just about to express her dismay at his statement when Lily walked into the room and all that they had been through flashed through her mind. She snapped out of her father’s spell. “You’re wrong, Father, Tom was only protecting us. You’re the one capable of untold violence. I don’t know why you called, but I want you to stay away.”

Lily heard who Kym was talking to and walked over and took Kym’s hand, giving her support. Kym squeezed her hand and gave a weak smile, gripping the phone tightly waiting for her father’s response.

Gregor felt like his head was going to explode. She was opposing him, something she had never done. “You dare say that to me? I own you, body and soul, and you will not talk to me like that.”

Kym shuddered at his tone and sat down abruptly. She had always done everything he asked and now she felt his anger, like a hand reaching through the phone slapping her down. She dropped the phone pulling away as if from a rabid dog.

Lily grabbed up the phone intent on helping her friend. “You leave her alone! You’re an evil man and I’m going to let my father know you called.”

Kym quickly took the phone back from Lily. “Father, you mustn’t listen to her. Please don’t come for me.”

“Your little rescuer sounds delightful Kym, maybe I’ll take her too when I come to get you. I know where you are now. I suggest you get ready to come home.” Gregor hung up, he grabbed his coffee and threw it across the room. This is your doing Manning, you’ve interfered again. That’s something else you’ll pay for.

Kym hung the phone up shaking and grabbed Lily. “You shouldn’t have even spoken to him. Oh God, Lily, we’re in such trouble. He knows about you now, and he knows I’m here. I’ve got to get out of here, but we’ve got to keep you safe, too.”

Chase walked into the room and saw their faces and knew something had gone wrong. “What’s the matter?”

“Chase go get your father, it’s important. I’ll explain when you both get back here.” Kym hugged Lily. “I won’t let him get his hands on you. I swear.”

Minutes later C.J. and Chase came running into the house. “Talk to me, Kym. What happened?”

“My father called. He knows I’m here, and he says he wants me home. C.J., Lily talked to him and now she‘s on his radar. You need to find a way to protect her. I’ll leave. I never meant to bring this trouble into your home.”

“Kym you’re not going anywhere and we’re not running from Gregor.  I assure you, he’ll have to go through me and Joshua if he attempts to get you.  He’s just trying to rattle you.”

“He did just that, C.J. I’m scared, he knows me and how to push my buttons. If he says he’s coming, he means it. I have to go. Your children have been through enough because of him.”

"You need to take a deep breath, Kym, nothing is going to happen right this minute. We’re going to sit down and figure all this out and decide things together.”

Kym looked at C.J. and felt something stirring deep inside. Speechless, Kym ran to her room.

“Kym, what’s the matter?”

“Dad, why did Kym just leave like that?” Chase was curious, so typical of his age group.

“She’s very upset about the phone call Chase. You and Lily go find Joshua and tell him what happened, I’ll go check on Kym.”

C.J. went to Kym’s room and knocked on her closed door. “Kym, whatever I said to upset you I’m sorry. Open up so we can talk. You have to know we like having you around and we won’t let your dad take you out of here.”

Kym rocked herself on the bed, wanting to open the door to C.J., but very afraid of what she might do. All her training under her father was flooding back and all she wanted was to please a man. She wanted that man to be C.J.; she cared for him and had hoped that their relationship would be something more. But now her body was betraying her; he would hate her if she threw herself at him. “C.J. you didn’t say anything wrong. It’s me. You know what I was before I came here. Father’s voice brought it all back.”

“Kym, don’t hide from me. I thought we were becoming close. Whatever is bothering you, we can talk about.”

Kym got up and moved to the door. “Don’t you understand C.J., right now all I want to do is wrap myself around you and lose myself in your touch."

On the other side of her door, C.J. stood stunned as he realized what Kym was saying. It had been a long time since he had even held a woman, but holding Kym at that moment was a heady thought. He had been thinking about her for some time. “Kym, open the door please.”

She couldn’t help herself, she needed him at that moment and she opened the door.

She was lovely and fragile, standing in front of him with tears in her eyes. “Kym, don’t cry.” He reached up and brushed the tear from her cheek as it fell. She was so vulnerable, he was almost afraid to touch her. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are and how desirable? I’ve been holding you at arm's length because of everything you went through. I didn’t want to take advantage since you were a guest here.”

Kym didn’t wait for him to say anything else. She wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him. His lips were firm and slightly salty, the tip of her tongue savoring the taste as she deepened her kiss. His arms pulled her close.

At first, shocked by the suddenness of her kiss, he quickly recovered and returned it with a passion that had been dormant for a long time. He lifted her slight form into his arms and carried her back into the room, kicking the door shut behind them. They reached the bed and he laid her down and slowly began to unbutton her blouse. Kym reached up to undo his shirt and C.J. stopped her. “This is for you. We’re going to take this slow.”

Kym’s breath caught as she stared at him in wonder. No man had ever treated her like he was. It had always been about making sure the man was satisfied. She sighed as his hands began to caress her. She was already moist and eager for him but she couldn’t help loving the feel of his calloused hands on her body. They were good hands, hands that worked hard to provide for his family, hands the were causing her to squirm in response to the feel of his fingers making their move to her center. She arched as he brought her to a high she had never felt before. She moaned wanting more and he gave it to her. His tongue began to play with her. Every flick sent little shocks through her. She was tingling all over when he paused and she looked to see him remove his shirt. His muscles rippled and she licked her lips. Her gaze fell to his waistline and she quivered as he shed his jeans. A thrill ran through her as she lifted her hips to welcome him. The fit was tight and she clenched around him as they moved together.

She was slick and ready for him as he entered. Her legs gripped him as she maneuvered him deeper inside, her muscles pulsing in a steady rhythmic way. He nuzzled her neck licking and tasting her flavors. The sweet taste of peaches where she had absentmindedly rubbed her neck with her peach soaked hands earlier. There was a saltiness mixed in too. He even tasted the soap she had used that morning to shower with. The flavors were intriguing telling him about her in a very earthy way.

“C.J.” It came out the barest whisper, her voice catching as he licked her neck. She was feeling all these unusual sensations surging through her body. She wanted him so bad. “Oh God, what are you doing?” she pushed her hips closer, feeling him inside her, filling her. With each drive of his hips, she ached for more, but the combined touches of his tongue on her skin were too much. Every nerve ending was sensitive and she was overloading on the pleasure she felt. She could stand it no longer. “C.J. Please!”

He could contain himself no longer, his blood had been pumping ever louder in his ears with each moan and word she said. Her final plea was his undoing. “God, Kym!” He came as she clutched his back, her cry glorious in his ear. C.J. laid down beside her and stroked her, slowly exploring her small body. He discovered a delicate butterfly etched into her hip but was afraid to ask her about it.

Kym was overwhelmed with feelings as he touched her body. She watched his face as he studied her and when he got still, she realized he had found her butterfly. “I got her when I was in Macon several weeks ago. Lily and I decided to be adventurous after our sessions with the therapist.” C.J. looked up in surprise. "Relax, Lily got a washable one and I got the real one. I guess you could say it was our way of saying our bodies belonged to us and no one else.”

C.J. bent and placed a tender kiss on it, tracing it with his finger. “She‘s as beautiful as the woman who wears her.”

There was a small knock on her door. “Kym are you in there?  I hope you’re alright. Dad said he was going looking for you, but we haven’t seen him since we went to find grandpa.” inquired Chase softly.

Kim looked up at C.J. and smiled. “I’m sure your dad’s around somewhere, Chase. I’m alright, why don’t you go back downstairs to your grandfather and I’ll be down shortly.”

“Okay, I’ll tell grandpa.”

She giggled “I guess that means this is over." She reached for his face. “Thank you, you have no idea what you just did.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss and slipped off the bed going to her bathroom to freshen up quickly.

C.J. got up and dressed. He had a lot to think about over the next few hours.